


Safe At Home

by Polar534



Series: SAH [1]
Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: Abusive Parents, All of the apologies, An AU in which the author forgets that scrolls are a thing on the Isles, Best give y'all a heads up, Buckle in for a long fic, Cellphone AU, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Gay Disaster Amity Blight, Hurt/Comfort, I can’t believe I actually get to write a heist..., Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Luz Noceda has ADHD, Making Lilith work for that redemption, Never done tags like this, Now featuring palismans, Now turning into something completely different, Originally a slice of life/post episode wrap up, Slowburn sounds too... adult, These kids just be gay and crushing, Updating tags as we go, i write this instead of sleeping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:14:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 40
Words: 85,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26250238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polar534/pseuds/Polar534
Summary: Taking place immediately after the events of Young Blood Old Souls, Luz has burned her only way back to the world she knew. Ever the positive light in the dark though, she seems certain there's another way. This is her home too, and she's shown everyone that she's more capable then they ever thought, "just a human" could be. Besides, in an ever changing magic world, how could there not be some way back?Amity knows a different truth though. She remembers a night when the positive, cheerful force that is Luz Noceda became despondent, scared and sad. Her mother being the center of it, Amity fears the truth that her friend seems unable to face.What if Luz can't ever go home?
Relationships: Amity Blight/Luz Noceda
Series: SAH [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2055756
Comments: 474
Kudos: 1772





	1. The Broadcast

Amity lay in bed, a sour expression on her face, her Azura book that she was re-reading now for the 4th time lay forgotten to her side. She didn't want to check her phone to see what time it was, or who hadn't messaged her back. Her parents had gone away early this morning and the two doofuses she had as siblings left a short while ago claiming they'd tell her all about what was going on later. 

All of which wouldn't have suprised her, if she hadn’t seen her siblings, who always looked as if they were always one step away from their next laugh, look genuinely worried as they turned to leave.

No one would tell her anything, but something was going on. Her stomach twisted as her mind landed on the possibilities. 

Why did they all keep coming back to _her?_

Last Amity had heard from anyone, her classmates were headed to the Emperor's castle. Knowing how much she was looking forward to this trip, Luz promised to bring her something back. Amity could tell the girl still felt awful about what happened on the Grudgeby field, but she couldn't bring herself to tell Luz the real reason why she denied the nurse's offer for more intense healing magic.

Ever since Luz had come along Amity felt the urge to be better. She had always pushed herself when it came to school work and her studies and it had paid off. She was top of her class and her connection to the magic inside her was unmistakable. After her parents urged her out of childhood and towards her future... after they had robbed her of her friendship with Willow, she realized she had let the connection she had to her peers fall to nothing. She became awful. The very bully she believed Luz was. She was barely even talking to Boscha and Skara by the time the human stumbled her way into school. 

Shaking herself out of the guilt trip she kept circling around and around in for the last couple of days she swallowed and checked her phone. 

Surprisingly there was a message. It was from... Willow? 

Amity's stomach dropped and the phone slipped out of her hands. Willow had not messaged her in years. Even now that things had become less strained between the former best friends, she still didn't message Amity and they both knew why. Willow was trying to get along with her for Luz's sake and Amity, as much as she missed Willow, knew that she couldn't ever make up for the years of bullying that isolated the young witch. 

Even Luz, as blissfully positive as she was, knew she couldn't force a solution between those two and seemed content to just be the common bond they shared. 

Even if she did often get a little too excited whenever Amity or Willow interacted in a positive way at all. 

Amity smiled and closed her eyes, imagining Luz's warm beaming face.

She felt the heat rush to her cheeks and quickly smacked her hands to her face. Her eyes snapped open and she buried those feelings back into her chest where they belonged. She focused back on the current issue.

Willow messaging her meant something was wrong. Something might even be wrong with Luz.

She fumbled around for her phone, nearly knocking it off the bed in her panic. The message simply read: Turn on your crystal ball, now! 

Taking a deep breath from her panic earlier she stretched out onto her side until her hands hit the small table by her bed. It didnt take her long to find the crystal ball she kept there and pulled it back onto her lap. Waving her hand gently in front of it she briefly wondered if she should message Willow back asking for a channel when the ball began to glow softly and came to life. On its screen there was a reporter standing in front of the correctional facility, a small crowd was beginning to form off to his side. Amity squinted, she didn't remember ever watching the news on her ball, which meant that this was a Isle wide broadcast. 

“Reports are just in now that the Emperor will be holding a petrification ceremony for the infamous Owl Lady who was detained and captured by the leader of the Emperor's Coven, Lilith Clawethorn. “

“As you can see a small crowd has already begun to…”

The broadcast faded from Amity's ears as the words washed over her

She had always known Eda was a criminal. Her parents were always talking about the Emperor's desire to have her caught and her powerful wild magic contained. She had heard her mentor Lilith constantly bemoan the trouble her sister had been causing her. 

But to Amity, ever since she met wild eyed witch, Eda seemed like just a quirky outsider. Just like someone else she knew...

Another weirdo. One who loved Eda, who would do anything for her friends and new family.

Horror began to set in as Amity began connecting dots.

Grabbing her phone she tapped out a response to Willow. 

"Where's Luz?"


	2. Bubbles and Hot Chocolate

"So kid, I know I've got it this time. Watch this!" Eda said with a large flourish of her wrist as she brought her hand down on the glyph. Luz heard Lillith snort from behind her as the paper began to glow. The owl lady removed her hand with a smirk and a lopsided ball of light sputtered and flickered weakly, forming out of the messy glyph that it had been drawn from.

"Yes! Still got it." She announced confidently, seconds before the ball of light lost control and exploded with a blinding flash. 

King stirred from the comfy position he had taken up beside her on the couch.

"Eddddaaa, don't mess with the sun, you know what happened last time." He mumbled before flipping over and falling back asleep. 

Lilith stopped short of her taunt and raised an eyebrow. "The Sun?"

"Long story." Eda grinned as she waved away the thought. She looked down at the notepad Luz had let her borrow and frowned. 

"This is almost as frustrating as school. One wrong thing and it blows up in your face!" She groaned, falling back against the couch with a sigh. 

"Since when is that not the case with us?" Luz grinned at her. "You just gotta keep practicing the basic shapes."

Eda groaned loudly again, but her reply was cut short due to a knocking at the door. 

Lilith looked inquisitively at her sister and Luz. 

"Do you often entertain visitors at this late hour? Also, how does that wretched bird tube know who to let in and who to not?"

"Well that's easy Lilly. If you curse me and hunt me you get tubed and if you're anyone else you get your ear talked off until you leave or we answer the door." She grinned teasingly as she watched Luz turn towards the door.

"Just doing my job!!" Hooty said with a tilt of his head. "Also Luz has viiiissssitors!!" He sang. 

Luz jumped to her feet and bounced towards the door. She opened it wide and was greeted with the sight of Amity standing in the darkness of the doorway. The bags under her friend’s eyes seemed even deeper then normal. Amity’s eyes widened in what looked to be relief when she saw her friend, safe and sound in front of her. Luz could see her relax as she adjusted herself on her crutches.

"Amity!" Luz squeaked excitedly and Amity's eyes widened even further as a blush snuck its way onto her cheeks. 

The green haired witch looked over her friend and took in what Luz was wearing. She had on a brand new cape that appeared untouched and unused, a stark contrast to the rest of her clothes. Her classic white and purple hoodie looked ruffled and had splotches of dirt all over it. Her short and legging combo were also plenty dirty and there were some parts of the fabric that appeared to be singed. All over her legs there were places where the fabric had been torn and, looking closer, one could see fresh cuts littered on the skin underneath. 

There was a small bruise forming on Luz's cheek. 

Amity felt her relief ebbing away as it was replaced with worry. 

Before the witch could say a word however, Willow and Gus rushed in from behind her and swept the girl up in a hug. 

"Luz!!" They cheered simultaneously. 

"Friends!!" Amity heard Luz happily squeak from inside the pile. 

Amity hobbled inside after them as the door closed softly behind her.

"We were so worried about you. Where even were you? You just appeared out of no where on the podium." Gus exclaimed in a rush after the little group had broke apart. 

"Emperor Belos is claiming that he "let" Eda go, but that isn't the case... is it?" Willow asked quietly, before Luz had a chance to answer any of Gus's questions.

Amity's ears perked up. She was headed to the square when the rescue happened so she didn't hear or see anything. Hearing that Luz was anywhere near the petrification process worried her, and Willow's doubt in the Emperor made that concern even deeper. What happened?

"Now _that_ is too much to get into tonight. Or at least it is for me. I'm exhausted and in pain so I'm calling it a night." Eda said from behind the group. She rested a hand on Luz's head gently. 

"Alright kid, take your rabble-rousers up to your room, I'm going to get Lilly settled in down here for tonight."

Luz's expression suddenly grew serious as she leaned around Eda and glared at the other person in the house. 

Amity, Willow and Gus followed her glare to see the head of the Emperor's Coven, Lilith Clawethorn, the person who just this morning had captured Eda and hunted down Luz, sitting awkwardly on the couch. She gave a small wave at the new arrivals and attention. 

Amity blinked slowly. She had no idea what was going on. Why was her mentor here? What happened to her hair, her eye? If Eda and Luz were in trouble with the Emperor why was his strongest witch just sitting in their living room not doing anything?

She stared hard at Luz trying desperately to understand. 

Luz didn't notice the confusion in her friends. She continued to glare. "Is she really staying? I mean I know she did the whole “repentant villain makes it right” thing with your curse and all, but I still don't fully trust her."

"Ah, Luz, Lilly's a lot of things, but right now she's not a threat. Besides, even if she tried anything I have you to protect me after all."

Luz's eyes softenEd as her expression turned into surprise. She looked up at the Owl Lady with wide eyes. Then, nodding, she turned back to Lilith. 

"Right. Ya hear that _Lilith_ , you can't just throw me into a bubble this time around. “

“Bubble?” Amity blurted out, unable to stop herself, her mind racing with all of this new information.

Eda’s face grew more serious then Amity had ever seen it before and a shiver of fear ran down her back. Despite not being the target of whatever had upset the Owl Lady, she could feel the controlled anger behind the hard stare. Luz seemed oblivious to Eda’s rage as she walked past the former wild witch and grabbed King.

“Right. The bubble.” Eda growled. Her voice relaxed as she looked down kindly at Luz. ”Actually kiddo, I’m going to take a quick walk with Lilly. We need to talk about a few things. You best update everyone on whatever happened tonight, and I expect a full rundown myself in the morning.” 

She walked over and grabbed her sister by the wrist and dragged her out the front door with a quick cheerful wave at the party standing confused in the living room. “And don’t you dare go making my house walk again!” She yelled as Hooty slammed shut. 

Amity stared at the closed door before turning to Luz who’s normal ever present smile had slipped off of her face. 

The young witch’s stomach dropped at the sight. She swallowed hard and after a moment of no one speaking Luz turned to face her friends. In a second her bright warm smile was back. She handed King gently over to Willow. 

“Alright, you all head upstairs to my room. I’ll be right there, I’m going to make some hot chocolate for everyone.” 

Willow nodded in response while Gus pumped his fist in the air. “YES! Luz you make the best hot chocolate!” 

Luz turned towards the kitchen while Gus and Willow began climbing the stairs. Amity stood still for just a second. It would be awhile before Luz would join them upstairs, and something about the night and the way Luz was acting made Amity reluctant to leave her alone. 

“Luz! Wait, I’ll help you!” She blurted out without thinking. Luz turned around and smiled softly.

Out of the corner of her eye, Amity saw Willow staring at them both before smiling slightly and rolling her eyes. She pushed Gus ahead of her and hurried him up the stairs.

“Are you sure? What about your foot?” Luz asked gently, concern flooding her eyes.

Amity looked down at her casted foot and realized she had barely felt it since she walked in. There was just too much happening. It didn’t hurt, and it definitely wouldn’t hurt if that meant not leaving Luz by herself.

“I’ve been posted up in bed all day, I’ll be fine.” She said with a confident grin.

“Ok, but you don’t get to carry anything, got it?” Luz said seriously. 

“Yes, ma’am.” Amity nodded as she followed her friend into the darkened kitchen. 

Luz stopped at the table and pulled out her little notebook. Amity watched as she drew a couple of small glyphs that the witch recognized as the human’s “Light” spell and tapped them each in turn, watching in wonder as the little glowing balls raised up into the air. Amity found herself staring as Luz’s eyes lit up and glittered as the soft light reflected in them. Out of instinct she felt her finger circle slightly and Amity cast her own light into the kitchen to join Luz’s. Their spells together cast a warm bright light in the kitchen and Luz turn to Amity and smiled.

“Perfect. Now to find where Eda hid the chocolate mix. King kept getting into it in the middle of the night.” She said with a smirk as she climbed up on the counter and started rummaging through the cabinets. 

Amity shuffled over to the stove and circled her finger to cast a small flame and get the burner started. She unhooked herself from her crutches and laid them against the table as she bent down to find a pot. 

As her hand found the handle to what she assumed would be the right size, she heard a small explosion and then a crash from behind her. In alarm she dropped the pot and it clattered to the ground. The young witch whipped around to see Luz laying on her back, holding the chocolate mix in the air above her.

“HA! Got it! Take that booby trap!” She yelled in triumph.

“Luz!” Amity shouted in concern.

“I’m alright! Promise! I’ve dealt with worse then that today and come out just fine!” She said, jumping upright and walking over to Amity. 

Trying to ignore the growing dread that comment brought to her, Amity leaned down to pick up the pot, as Luz walked over to the stove. When she stood up again, Luz was much closer then she had realized and Amity barely caught herself on the counter as she stumbled backwards in panic. 

“Whoa! Careful!” Luz exclaimed as she grabbed Amity’s wrist to help pull her upright again. Moving quickly she grabbed the crutches that lay on the table and brought them over. 

“Here, let me help you.” She said as she removed the pot still clutched tightly in Amity’s hand and set it on the burner. Still holding her wrist as if afraid the witch would fall, Luz handed her the crutches. Amity’s heart beat rapidly in her chest and she willed it to be still.

_She was doing a real bang up job of helping…_

“I think I got it from here, why don’t you take a seat?” Luz suggested with a warm smile. 

“Uh, right. I’ll just take a seat, right here. At the table.” Amity agreed as she hobbled to the table and sat down hard, trying to relax.

“Whoop! Need water to start boiling. Almost forgot.” Luz laughed as she reached for the pot again.

“No wait! Let me try something.” Amity said quickly, remembering a spell she had been working on. Concentrating hard, she closed her eyes and focused. She drew a slow circle in the air with her entire hand and pointed it in the direction of the sink. The spell began to draw water from the spout as Amity opened her eyes and guided the water gently into the pot from across the room. When it seemed full enough she broke the spell off with a deep breath. Thrilled at the success she turned to Luz who was staring at her with wide eyes full of awe. 

“You know water-bending now?!” She exclaimed absolutely thrilled. 

“Well, kinda… I was really thirsty yesterday.” Amity blushed and scratched the back of her head. 

Luz adjusted the temperature as the water began to steam slightly and she walked over to sit across from Amity at the table. She began doodling on her notebook as Amity’s mind swirled. 

There were so many questions to ask, but she didn’t want to risk upsetting Luz or crossing a boundary. So instead they both sat there silently, the only sound being the gentle crackling of the fire on the burner and the scratch of Luz’s pencil. 

Amity watched as she drew the outline of a briefcase with a very detailed eye in the middle. She stole a glance at Luz’s face and saw something that made the witch’s heart drop out of her chest. In that instant Luz looked so far away with a serious expression on her face. Without thinking Amity reached out and touched Luz’s hand that lay limply on the table next to the notebook.

“Luz?” She asked with concern.

Luz seemed to come back slowly. She blinked, looking down at the paper with shock. She dropped the pencil and laid her hand on the table as if to stabilize herself. 

Realizing what she was doing Amity snatched her own hand back rapidly and held it to her chest. 

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to interrupt you.”

“No, no! It’s fine… Amity?” Luz asked, looking up and seeing Amity staring intensely at a spot on the table, horrified at herself.

“Are you ok?” Luz asked, taking the lead and reaching across the table emulating what Amity had done and pulling her clutched hands away from her chest. 

Without hesitating, acting on the moment and trying to ignore the fluttering in her chest and Luz comfortingly holding her hands, Amity let go of the question she had been holding in since she first got there.

“Are you ok Luz?” She blurted out, looking her friend in the eye. “What happened today? Where were you when even Willow and Gus couldn’t find you?”

“Is that what you were so worried about? Come on Blight, I thought you said you weren’t going soft on me?” Luz answered with a small chuckle. 

“I’m fine, see?” She pulled her hands back and gave a grand gesture to her body. “I got into a bit of scrape trying to rescue Eda, but I did it! I didn’t lose.” She said with a grin. “You should’ve seen me Amity, I was like Azura herself, casting magic like crazy, fighting against the evil Emperor.”

Amity blinked. The horror that had been settled in her chest since Willow first messaged her was quickly boiling to the surface.

Emperor Belos? Luz fought the strongest witch on the Isles? Amity’s hands began to shake, but Luz didn’t seem to notice. 

“I tricked him at his own game. Now Eda’s healed… ish and everything’s going to be fine. I didn’t lose.” Luz repeated, the confidence fading slightly from her voice as she repeated herself and looked down at the drawing in front of her.

Amity followed her eyes. 

Where had she seen that briefcase before?

“But I promise I’ll tell you everything when we have some hot chocolate in front of us, ok?” Luz looked up at her friend with a soft smile. Amity met her eyes and couldn’t help but smile back, despite her increasing worry.

“Ok.” She said, her voice sounding small. ”I better get a big cup.” She said with a smirk. “Since I did help you make it after all.”

“Well normally I believe in equal chocolate for all, but I guess since you are injured and still helped me, I can make an exception just this once.” Luz smirked back as she turned to the stove once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um, so I don’t know where this is going, but I love these characters and am consumed by this show. Please don’t expect heavy shipping in this story though. Even though I’d love to write Amity and Luz living together as the perfect couple we know they’d make, these characters, as they appear in the show, aren’t ready for that. But I need more Lumity interactions in my life, don’t you? And Amity needs more time to shine. So I’m going to give it to myself. Hope you all can enjoy it too.
> 
> EDIT: Did a huge re-haul on this chapter. Apologies to anyone re-reading this, but dang what even was my grammar?


	3. A Walk in Woods

Eda's long nails dug into her sisters wrist as they walked deep into the woods. She wanted to be as far away from Luz as possible, knowing how curious the girl could get. 

"Edalyn where are we going?" Lilith asked concerned. 

"Just far enough away so that Luz can't hear us or follow us. _You've_ already put her through enough today." Eda snapped back at her. 

They walked a little further and into a small clearing overlooking a cliff. Eda let her sister go and walked towards the ledge, looking out into the ocean. She took a deep breath, relaxing into the nature. 

She could feel Lilith shift uncomfortably behind her. 

"Look, Edalyn, I understand if you're upset. I'm willing to do anything to make things right again." Her sister pleaded. 

The wild witch felt her fingers twitch. She missed the familiar feeling of magic that used to course through them so naturally. 

She let them fall limply to her side. 

"That's just the thing Lilly, I don't know if I'm even upset. I was ready to kill you earlier today." She turned around slowly and faced her sister, the near stranger in front of her. Her hard glare softened. "Sometimes, I look at you and I see my sister, my oldest friend, someone I trust more then anyone else. Then I look again and you're just some Emperor's puppet who cursed me, lied to me and kidnapped me trying to get what you wanted. "

Lilith listened respectfully and watched as her sisters face turned hard and her glare became ice. 

"And then, even when I don't want to see it, I look at you, and I see Luz. Scared for my life of all things while you dangled her over spikes. Spikes, Lilly! She's just a child!”

"I knew you would save her." Lilith said quietly. 

"Well it sure didn't look like you cared whether or not I did." Eda replied in an even tone, reigning back her fury.

She let her shoulders drop and relaxed her muscles. She was getting to old for this. The Owl Lady sighed heavily and Lilith could see the years of exhaustion clinging to her sister's face. 

"Look. I don't care about the curse anymore. Sure, it hurt and I was always scared of it, but it also made me who I am. It gave me a darn good reason to recluse myself out here and be left alone. I was happy. Just me and King. Two weirdos who didn't need anyone else." 

"If that's the case, why do you seem so attached to the human," Lilith caught herself and tried again, "to Luz?" She asked gently, careful not to let to much emotion leak into her voice. 

She knew she didn't deserve to be asking about Luz after the things she had done, but she was curious. What had this small human done to cause such a change in her sister?

"She just worms her way into everyone's heart I guess. It would honestly be irritating if it was anyone else but Luz. She accomplishes anything she puts her mind to. I mean, look at her, a human, learning magic. How can you not love someone that determined?" Eda replied, a far away look in her eye. A small smile crept its way onto her face and it soon turned into a sly grin as she fixed her stare on her sister once again. 

"I mean, if you really want to know what's so enchanting about Luz you should ask your protégé sometime what she thinks of her little human friend." Eda chuckled. 

Lilith stared blankly. Knowing her sister, the suggestion was sure to lead to amusing results but for what reason she couldn't puzzle out. 

"I'll be sure to do that." Lilith replied dutifully.

Eda rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue, "Ah but I guess for the girl's sake don't ask her in front of Luz. That might just be too cruel, even for you, dear sister." Eda chuckled again. 

The silence of the night crept in on the two as the chuckle was eaten up by the tension between them. 

Lilith became increasingly aware of the sounds in the forest. Branches swayed and creaked in the night wind as it whistled gently past her ears. She could hear the sound of a bird flapping it's wing occasionally as it flew from tree to tree, looking for its next hunt. Various insects called out to one another in a variety of chirps and buzzes. The sounds haunted her and put her on edge. The wildness of it all, bothered her and she felt a shiver of unease. Then she looked to her sister, who seemed to be put at peace by being out here, in nature.

This was not how Lilith imagined finally healing her sister would ever be like. She felt as if there was a chasm between them, one that Eda didn't care if they ever crossed. 

Lilith attempted the first step.

"Why did you bring me out here Eda? If it was to simply talk about what I did wrong I'm sure Luz would've loved to join in." She probed, trying to get her sister to open up. 

"Ah yes, that. I'm not sure. I just wanted some fresh air I guess." Eda waved as if to shoo the thought away and turned again towards the ocean. 

Deflection or denial? Lilith wondered briefly, before Eda spoke again. 

"Those kids have a lot to discuss. Futures to rethink. They need the time and space to do that. And then there's you and me." The wild haired witch paused as a cool night breeze rolled past and through the silence of the night and the forest Lilith began hearing the sounds of the waves along the coast. 

"I'm sure of what I'll be doing for the next couple of months. The question is what will you do now?" The Owl Lady mused aloud. 

Before Lilith could even begin thinking about her answer, Eda sighed once again and turned away from the cliff and back towards where they came. 

"I mean you're always welcome to stay at the Owl House." She continued as she began walking, moving casually this time, almost as if she was just strolling through the woods. Her voice even and steady, almost casual.

As she brushed past Lilith she paused for just a moment. 

"But Lilly, if you ever lay a hand or spell on Luz again, **I will kill you**.” The Owl Lady growled in an low even tone.

She continued walking straight past, without even turning to acknowledge her sister as she left. 

Somewhere deep in the forest an owl hooted and Lilith jumped. The former coven witch swallowed hard and followed after her sister, the chasm growing wider and wider with each step they took.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeey, I didn’t ever intend to follow the sisters in their outside jaunt, but for some reason it happened anyways. I’m not as good at writing Eda as I wish I could be, and Lilith is a bit of a mystery to me so I apologize if this comes off as choppy. I also did write almost the entire chapter at work...
> 
> Anyways, the Owl House is dark. Eda was actually intent on killing her sister when they were in the petrification cage, and Lilith was about ready to shove Luz into spikes to burn through Eda’s magic. I know Disney won’t ever actually let it get *that* dark by addressing it, but I will. Lilith doesn’t get to just, walk away from nearly killing a child. Especially not Eda’s child.


	4. Plotting and Panic

“So, what happens now?” Willow asked the question that had been on everyone’s mind as the shock of Luz’s story set in. 

Gus was tossed up on a bundle of clothing and blankets that Luz had collected in the corner, cradling his mug of hot chocolate, long empty, close to his chest. Willow had claimed a spot in the middle of the floor, sitting cross legged on Luz's sleeping bag. 

Luz sat in the center of the group, lounging in the window-sill of her room, one knee up along the small ledge and the other hanging limply off the side, barely swinging past Amity. The green-haired witch sat against the wall, underneath Luz, her injured leg propped up with a couple of extra copies of King’s best-selling book. Her cup of hot chocolate set off to her side as King snored softly in her lap. She had her eyes closed in thought as she listened to the question echo through the room. 

What did happen now?

She peaked her eyes open and stole a glance up at Luz who was watching out the window. She had the hood of her new cloak up, for dramatic effect of course, and looked to be thinking hard about something. Amity searched her face for any sign of worry or fear and found none. Before she could puzzle out why, she became fixated on how the light bounced off the window and reflected in Luz's eyes. They seemed to shift and sparkle, full of light, even when staring into darkness. Amity was transfixed. 

After a moment turned into seconds too long, she suddenly became hyper aware of Gus and Willow looking curiously in her direction and immediately shifted her gaze to the little demon king on her lap. To calm the growing panic in her chest, she began to absentmindedly stroke his fur. Amity hadn’t meant to be sitting this close to Luz, but it was the only spot in the room that she could sit in and not find herself staring directly at Luz the entire time. It was easier, she found, being unable to see Luz’s face as she recounted her encounter with Lilith and Belos. 

There was just so much to unpack. Amity couldn’t help but bemoan her injury for the 17th hundred time that day. She could’ve been there to stop her friends from entering the treasure room where Luz was captured. She could've stopped Lilith before she sent Willow and Gus away or at least talked her into not using Luz to get to Eda. Maybe if they had an extra abomination on their side all 4 of them could've stood a chance against the coven leader. Her mind ran in circles thinking of all the different possibilities that may have happened if only she could’ve been there to protect them. To protect Luz. 

She could've done something... 

“Well, next we’ve got to find the other entrances to the human world and stop Belos before he gets his hands on them. I’m sure Eda may know a few things. After all, it was her portal that got me here.” Luz announced suddenly and confidently, swinging both of her legs off the edge of the windowsill to pull herself upright and to a sitting position to face her friends. 

“Stop Belos?” Gus squeaked out. “Luz, I know you haven’t been here long, but if Eda is the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles, then Emperor Belos is the most powerful witch to ever live.”

“But he’s not invincible!” Luz shouted, suddenly getting worked up . “I know it.” She continued a little more quietly as she held up the piece of Belos’s mask for everyone to see again. 

“He can be beaten, he can be outsmarted. Now we’ve just got to get ahead of him.” She said, clutching the piece tightly in her hand. Her voice, heavily laced with hope, seemed to cover the entire room. Amity watched it set in on Gus's face. The determination leaking off of Luz set off something inside of him as well. Whatever Luz planned on doing next, Gus would be there too.

Amity turned her gaze to Willow. The young witch sat still and straight on the sleeping bag and was smiling warmly. The smile however, didn't quite reach her eyes. Sure there was a sense of pride and support in them, and Amity knew that when push came to shove, Willow would be there for her friend, but she could feel the exhaustion set just behind the surface.

“No." Willow said gently, to the surprise of Luz and Gus who both turned to her with confusion. "Now is the time that we head home and go to bed. It’s getting really late Luz, my dads are going to be worried sick.” Willow continued, standing up and putting a comforting hand on Luz’s shoulder. 

"We've got plenty of time to plot overthrowing the government and to find you a way back home. But we probably shouldn't do it after such a long day."

Luz's shoulders slumped ever so slightly, but she smiled back at Willow gratefully. 

Gus stood up next. "You know I'm always with you Luz, but my dad is still upset about me and Willow hijacking his broadcast earlier. He was really reluctant about letting me come over here in the first place." 

"Right. Then we'll get some sleep and start brainstorming in the morning!" Luz said standing up and seemingly getting her wind back. "Thank you guys for coming over. And... for everything that you did for me and Eda today."

Before they could say anything else, Luz had them wrapped up in a large group hug. 

It was a heartwarming scene, but despite the warm air surrounding her, Amity felt cold begin to creep deep into her bones

She was glad to see Luz in such high spirits, and glad to see Willow and Gus supporting her, but something wasn't right about this whole scenario. 

The Emperor's Coven, the leader of the Boiling Isles? How could a group of kids who are still just learning the basics of witchcraft hope to overpower them? And what happens when they do? Amity wasn't sure about overthrowing the entire government and system that had brought the demon realm peace for many decades, she just wanted them to leave Luz out of anything they planned to do next. She didn't know how difficult that would be now that it seemed Luz had made herself an enemy to the greatest witch to ever live.

_Luz could've easily been killed today._

The thought was like a stone dropping into her gut, weighing her down and making her sick. Amity knew the only reason Belos even entertained the idea of fighting a human was because he knew Luz had the portal. What happens now that Luz has nothing to lose? How long will it be before Belos sends guards and his coven after her? And without Eda's powers, could anyone actually protect her? Would she even let anyone protect her?

The thoughts continued to swirl round and round in her head becoming more and more frantic. She could feel herself slipping into a panic attack and couldn't pull herself out. 

"Amity?" 

A curious voice said seconds before Luz's hand appeared and waved in front of the witch's face. 

"Aah!" Amity jerked backwards, the movement quickly startling her out of her thoughts. Her head hit the wall with a loud thud and she winced.

"Oh Amity, I'm sorry! Are you ok?" Luz said in a rush. "Here. Let me help."

Suddenly Amity was in the air. Once again being carried comfortingly by Luz. The cold tendrils of panic slowly receeded from her bones in the warmth of Luz's arms. Amity let out a shaky breath, her mind finally calming. 

"I was just going to walk Gus and Willow to the door, would you like a lift?" Luz asked kindly. "I do owe you for your foot after all."

Amity nodded, not exactly trusting herself to speak remembering painfully what happened the last time she ended up in Luz's arms. 

_Oooh... Wow. Sports._

Amity swallowed hard as her heart began to beat faster and she felt her face flush red.

Was she ever going to catch a break?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a quick couple of things, firstly, holy wow thank you for the support. It’s only been a couple of days and this 3 chapter, barely put together idea has already gotten more hits and kudos then my actually finished story I published over the course of a year. I knew how that story would play out from the moment I started typing. Here I’m making things up as I go. I’m starting to get a little better idea of what I want this to be, so bear with me while I get it sorted out. 
> 
> There will be more fluff and angst to come. After all, we haven’t even begun to hit the parental issues these two adorable kids face. 
> 
> And now for actual chapter related notes: Luz is a great and attentive friend, but I doubt she has ever actually had a panic attack before and thus wouldn’t be able to recognize the beginning of Amity’s. As much as I want to write about Luz comforting Amity safely and respectfully out of a panic attack, I just don’t think she would know how. At least not yet. So instead we get more awkward teens being good to one another in the best way they know how.


	5. Perfect Imperfections

Having left her crutches upstairs, Luz insisted on letting Amity lean up against her in support. Without having much of a choice, Amity agreed and Luz had wrapped one arm around the witch’s shoulder to help bear the weight. 

They carefully watched as Gus and Willow made their way down the trail and towards town. The cool breeze made Amity grateful for the warmth Luz was providing. She struggled between the urge to flee the contact and to snuggle further into Luz’s chest. Luckily it wasn’t long before their friends were out of sight and Luz spoke again.

"Alrighty then, Blight. What about you?" She asked curiously. 

"What about me?" Amity repeated, not hesitating. The small part of her mind that wasn't currently mush due to Luz's closeness, praised her for being able to speak at all. 

Luz turned her head to face Amity. "Will I be accompanying the young lady home this fine evening?" She asked formally in an obviously fake accent that Amity couldn't quite place. It must've been a human thing. 

_By the titan, how was she so cute?_

"Well... for one thing, I'm older then you." Amity replied with the best straight face she could. 

"Only by a few months!" Luz smirked back. 

"And... I don't know. My parent's don't exactly know I'm here."

"Oh?" Luz's face fell watching Amity's grow serious. And then realization dawned on her. 

"Oh." The Latina girl repeated. 

"They've been gone since this morning, so I doubt they'll even be coming home tonight. I'm sure Emperor Belos would want his entire coven with him after what you pulled." Amity mused, her voice lacking any emotion.

She thought she could feel Luz's grip around her shoulder grow just a slight bit tighter as she spoke about her parents. 

"Well, why don't you stay here for the night? I'm sure your brother and sister could cover for you." Luz suggested after a short pause. 

Amity, ignoring the way her heart missed several beats with that proposal, considered it. 

A whole night with Luz? Alone? 

Her heart skipped several more beats before she remembered what Luz had been through today. 

She could probably use a friend, and looking over to meet Luz's eyes she felt that same shiver of a feeling she felt before. 

Amity didn't want Luz to be alone tonight. 

Knowing what she knew now, about the portal being burned away, the witch couldn't just leave her alone. 

"Are you sure Eda would be ok with that?"

Luz closed her eyes and made noise. "Psshhh. She'll be fine. Besides if she gets to have Lillith stay, then I should get to keep you for the night."

The way Luz phrased it nearly made Amity choke on the night air she had inhaled sharply, trying to keep her poor heart beating. 

"Right..." She said, trying to muster out any words to say to keep Luz from being suspicious by her silence. A thought came to her mind and she groaned. 

"I'm sure Edric and Emira would LOOVE to tease me about staying the night with you."

"Why would they tease you?" Luz asked innocently. 

Amity wanted to smack herself. 

"Nothing!" She squeaked out. _Real smooth, Amity._

"They just are always teasing me for something. I'll probably have to tell them that I'm staying the night at Boscha's."

Luz made another face. "Ew."

"I know. But at least that way my parents won't question it." _And they won't have to know about you._

Amity shivered. She bitterly remembered the threats they had made against Willow.

_They can't find out about you. I won't let them._ Amity thought, shivering again.

This time she definitely felt Luz's grip become tighter. 

They stood there for a moment. Amity enjoying just how comforting having Luz be so close to her felt. 

"Well then." Luz announced after awhile. "Let's get you inside and all set for the night. Besides, I'm sure Eda will be back soon and per her orders, all rabble is to be upstairs." She said with a wink at the girl in her arms. 

"I'm the furthest thing from rabble you can get, human." Amity teased back. "I'm little miss perfect I'll have you know."

"I know, I know!" Luz laughed. "Never got into trouble before you met me and all of that. But you have to agree, being a part of the rabble is a lot more fun." 

"A lot more stress, you mean." Amity replied miserably. Then she stopped and smiled. "But I like it. It's nice... not having to worry about being so perfect."

"Well welcome to life with Luz! It's never perfect, but we make it work!" Luz smiled brightly as they turned to go inside. Hooty was fast asleep and snoring loudly as they approached and Amity thought about what Luz had said. 

The Owl House, with all of its chaos, had never seemed so...

Perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is chapter length? Short scene this time, just setting up for more fun later. I realized as I started writing this that I never quite covered where King went as Luz carried Amity downstairs, and then I just... forgot to address it again now. Poor little guy. Maybe I’ll figure something out for him in the next chapter. 
> 
> Meanwhile, our girls interact. I love writing their interactions. It’s really interesting because I never really intended on writing this story from strictly Amity’s point of view and yet, she is the one that I drift to every time I pick up my keyboard or phone. 
> 
> Anyways, stay tuned for more parent angst involving our lovely green haired witch soon. Maybe we’ll even start cracking into Luz’s soon too! You know... like my whole work description alludes to...


	6. A Pile of Blankets and Problems

"Bout time you two came back in!" 

King stood on the couch, attempting to look very large and imposing. With his arms crossed he looked like a tiny toddler. Amity glanced at Luz who looked like she was holding back a giggle. 

"Dumping a little guy on the couch and just leaving him like that. Yeesh. Rude." He grumbled as he hopped down and approached the two. 

There was a small pause. 

Then the little demon's eyes widened. This time Luz couldn't contain the snicker that emerged as his little paw smacked his face. 

“I sound like Hooty! What’s wrong with me?!” He shouted, annoyed.

Almost immediately a brown blur whipped past Amity and headed towards the little king.

“Did someone say Hoooottty?” It sang.

“NO! No one said Hooty! Luz! Heeelllpp!” King screamed as he was overwhelmed. 

"What? I can't hear you. I'm a little too busy being rude." Luz teased as she grabbed Amity's hand. 

The girls quickly hobbled up the stairs together, giggling as Hooty began to list all the different catch phrases they could have together. 

Once upstairs, Luz guided Amity to take a seat on the window sill while she tackled the pile of soft things that Gus was sitting on earlier. 

Emerging seconds later with some extra pillows and blankets for both of them, she went to work fortifying the sleeping bag. When she was satisfied with how comfy it looked, she plopped a couple more pillows down and gestured grandly to the new nest of blankets and pillows that had once been a lone sleeping bag. 

"Introducing, your sleeping quarters for the night!" The human grinned and announced cheerfully. 

"Luz... you need a real bed." Amity said plainly, getting up on her crutches.

"Well I'm supposed to be at a camp, so I don't mind. Plus," she said as she grabbed a single blanket and pillow for herself and plopped onto the ground next to the nest, "I don't mind sleeping on the ground. "

Amity blinked. She wanted to say something, encourage Luz to take some more blankets or pillows or anything, but she couldn't bring herself to. The way Luz had plopped down with such a wide grin told her everything she needed to know. 

Luz would be fine. She always was. Amity admired how grateful she always was for so little.

"Camp huh?" Amity asked in her best attempt at being nonchalant. She maneuvered herself over to the bundle of blankets and carefully set herself down on the pile. She adjusted some of the pillows to provide support to sit up and face Luz.

"Yeah, but it was nothing fun. Just something my mom thought would be for the best." Luz said bitterly. The bite in her voice gave Amity a shock. 

She touched her head gingerly, her hair still dry and crisp from the bleach treatment and nodded. 

"For the best... I know how that goes." 

Luz looked up at her with large bright eyes, full of curiosity. 

Amity almost spoke more, seeing those eyes made her want to tell Luz everything. They drew the witch in, begged her to trust in the girl from another world. Instead she simply fell quiet and let the silence of the moment drown out any questions that may have been asked.

The witch thought about the camp Luz mentioned so bitterly. Was that where Luz was supposed to end up? What happened to make her come here instead? She wanted to ask Luz more, but she knew her ever positive friend, if she wanted to share, she would have already. Luz always spoke her mind, no matter the situation, even if it just served to get her in trouble. 

Amity couldn't help but love that about her. 

This time however, Luz was quiet too. Whatever was locked behind that portal door, behind her grom fear and her mother's expectations, it wasn't for Amity to know. She probably didn’t deserve to know anyways.

"So... is your little pet going to be fine?" Amity asked with an obvious smirk, changing tactics.

“His name is King, and you know that.” Luz smirked back. “But no probably not, but I suppose that’s what he gets for throwing a fit when we came back in.” She laughed and Amity smiled. 

“That bird tube IS annoying. I can’t believe he didn’t come up here and bother us while you were telling your story.” 

“Oh Hooty? Yeah, he’s a lot, but I think it’s just because he cares about all of us. You can’t really have the Owl House without Hooty. Eda swears by him.” Luz said kindly, looking off into space as if remembering a fond memory. ”She says the Emperor’s coven and Lilith would’ve caught up with her a long time ago without him.”

Amity stared. “Really? That bird brained magic tube has bested the coven leader and some of Belos’s best guards?” 

“Yep! He’s got some scary moves. But it’s not like Lilith isn’t just one big cheat anyways.” Luz grumpily replied, her eyes flaring with anger as she spat Lilith’s name. They quickly grew wide again and flashed over to Amity apologetically.

“Oh shoot Amity, I’m sorry I forgot! Lilith is kinda like your mentor isn’t she? It must’ve been hard for you to find out what she did.” Luz rushed out, looking as if she wanted to comfort the girl beside her.

Amity wanted to laugh, comfort her? Luz was the one who was captured, used as bait and nearly killed at the hands of this person, and here she was, worried about whatever bond this former bully used to have with her tormentor. 

“It’s ok. Lilith is, was, only my mentor because my mother wanted only the “best” for my magic tutoring. She seemed to think that if I was trained by the leader of the coven, that I would have the best possible chance at my future.” Amity spat out bitterly. 

Luz’s eyes grew wider, but Amity found she didn’t want to stop.

“But after what she pulled at the Covention… I didn’t quite care for her after. It didn’t matter that you barely had magic of your own, the fact that she resorted to cheating, to making me cheat, it made me lose a lot more then just respect for her.”

Amity’s heart dropped at the memory. 

“It’s just another person who thought I wasn’t enough.” She finished gloomily. 

This time Luz reached out and set her hand comfortingly on Amity’s leg. It wasn’t enough to just listen, Luz needed her friend to know that she was there.

“I’m sorry Amity, I didn’t know.” 

“It’s ok. Besides, if my future includes nearly killing someone like you, just to get what I, or some garbage bag titan whisperer wants, then maybe the Emperor’s Coven isn’t for me.” 

Amity looked at Luz meaningfully as she spoke. She _hated_ the fact that Luz was ever in danger in the first place. It never mattered what Amity saw in Lilith before, the bubble, the spikes, everything she had said to Luz that night, it was unacceptable. That whole night was Lilith showing her true colors. 

She would do anything to get what she wants, no matter how low. 

“But,” Luz started, her hand that was laying gently on Amity’s leg curled tightly into a fist and slid down to her own side to clutch a pillow as she wrestled with something in her mind, “Your future. What are you going to do now?”

“Well, I guess for tonight I’m going to stay here and hope Eda gives ole Lilith a good what-for for me.” Amity responded with a small smile. 

It wasn’t enough. Luz still looked upset. Something about the loss in her eyes made Amity hesitate to try and make light of the situation, but the human didn’t say anything more. Instead she simply heaved herself onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. Amity followed her lead. Gently maneuvering her foot into a safe and comfortable position the witch relaxed onto the soft pile that Luz had stacked up for her. They laid together like that for awhile, watching the light glyph’s in the room float around like small bubbles. 

“Hey Amity?” Luz said suddenly, flipping onto her side and leaning her head on her elbow to face her friend.

“Yes?”

“Do you just sleep with your hair up like that all the time? Or does pony tail actually come out?” She asked teasingly.

Amity felt her face flush. She had forgotten, as she often did, to take out the small rubber band that held her hair out of her face. Reaching up she contemplated actually taking it out. What would Luz think of her hair being down?

Shaking herself she realized it didn’t matter, it couldn’t matter. 

So she let her hair fall into her eyes and gently swept it to the side before turning to face Luz. 

“There, happy?” She asked, keeping her voice guarded. 

The Latina girl stared at her in awe for a couple of moments before speaking.

“It’s so… long! How cute!!” She exclaimed with glee.

Amity’s face felt hot. She quickly shoved her hair behind her ears and rolled back onto her back before Luz could stare at her any longer.

“It’s too long. I have to keep it up or else it gets in my way.” Amity replied curtly.

“Well I for one think it’s the perfect length.” The voice on her side said matter of factly. 

“What made you decide to dye it? Don’t get me wrong, I think you rock that minty green, but your original hair color is so… pretty.” Luz continued after a short pause. 

Amity’s heart did a flip at the compliment, before immediately plummeting as the weight of the question hit her. She sat up and Luz followed her lead. Rubbing her hand through her hair again she felt just how damaged it was. Looking up, in the faint reflection of herself that she could see in the window, she saw the twinge of chestnut hair that had grown in recently. 

“My mom, she likes her children to be… color coordinated. Edric and Emira have her green hair after all. I was the one that didn’t fit.” Amity admitted after a long while. She blinked, her eyes burning. She tore her eyes off of the window and stared at the cast on her foot, a spot on the floor, the pattern of the blanket, anything but Luz or herself. She couldn’t face either. 

The silence that followed threatened to drown them both, but Amity didn’t blame Luz for not saying anything.

After all, what was there to say?

“I’m… so sorry Amity.” A quiet voice came from her side. Luz sounded like she had lost all enthusiasm and Amity felt immediately guilty. She shouldn’t have been so honest, why was she being so honest? Luz didn’t deserve any of this. 

In a desperate bid to shift the topic off of her she proposed a question.

“What’s your mother like Luz? You know, when she’s not some freakish fright monster.” She asked gently, fearing it might be a sore subject.

There was a pause and Amity panicked, thinking she may have gone too far, but then Luz sighed heavily and flopped back onto the ground with a thud.

“She tries her best. I know it couldn’t have been easy, raising me alone. But she did it. I wasn’t always the easiest child to have either.” She joked, the smile on her face leaking into her voice. Amity snorted. 

“Not easy? I couldn’t imagine.” 

“It was always just me and her. She was the best parent I could have ever asked for. But… I just, I never belonged there Amity.“ Luz continued. ”No matter how hard my mom tried with me, how many different schools she took me to, I never fit in. I was always the weird one. My grades were never the best, and my teacher’s all found me annoying.”

There was a pause.

“I never had a real friend until I came here.”

Amity swallowed. She was beginning to see why Luz was always going out of her way to protect everyone. This world meant more to her then just a chance to learn the magic she always read about. 

Silence enveloped the two girls once again as the light glyph’s dancing above them slowly began to fade in their brightness casting darkness and shadows across the room.

Downstairs a door slammed closed.

The Clawethorne sisters were home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout outs to my lovely cat, Honey, who decided to make typing this chapter much more difficult then it needed to be. Oh my dear child, you and me both know that laying down on the keyboard is uncomfortable. 
> 
> Anyways, a little better chapter length this time. Don’t worry, I’m just scratching the surface of these girl’s parental trauma. I just had to sneak some in. Especially Amity’s. After Dana’s AMA and the revelation that the Blight’s mom makes her dye her hair I’ve just felt sick. I mean, that girl has gorgeous brown hair. You can see the dye doesn’t even take to it well. Even when she’s forced to fit in, she fails. Imagine how that might feel... just... someone give her a hug already.
> 
> Also I would love to incorporate Luz's Spanish into her dialogue here but I have no experience speaking it or being around anyone who would weave it in and out like Luz does and would. And am terrified of messing up any sort of representation I might try. The fault rests purely on the author here, not the character.


	7. Owl in the Dark

_"I don't have to stay if you are uncomfortable with it sister."_

Eda chuckled to herself as she sat in the kitchen, a mug of hot chocolate in her hands. Luz had left the concoction out on the counter with a small note. 

_ Mwahahaha! You can hide the chocolate mix from me all you want, but I'll always find it! - Regards, King. _

_... _

_ Just kidding. It's Luz. Tap the glyph to warm it up! DON'T ATTEMPT TO DRAW IT YOURSELF. I don't want to know what burnt Hooty smells like. <3 Luz _

It was cute. The way the girl always seemed to keep her in mind. Her smile slipped away as the mirth of the laughter left her. 

She glanced over at the prone figure snoring loudly on the couch. 

Lilith had always snored. Ever since they were kids. They would often get teased out of sleepovers when they were younger because of it, but that never mattered. At the end of the day, they still had each other. 

And in Eda's case, a jar of gryphon's spider breath to dump out in their locker the next day. 

The thought of ever being uncomfortable around this person who she knew so well was laughable and yet...

Eda shook her head and took another sip. 

_Was it like this? The night you cursed me? Did you look at me sleeping there and see a stranger? Someone who would stand in the way of the future you so desperately desired?_

__

_Or did you see me? Your sister. Your best friend._

Lilly merely offered a snort in response before the roar of her snore came back. 

There was shuffling from upstairs. 

Right. The kids. It had been several minutes since Eda had checked in on the spare bedroom to find Luz and the Blight kid passed out on the floor. Eda found it sweet that the girl had stayed the night, taking peace in knowing that Luz had someone to talk to if she found herself up in the middle of the night. 

Kinda like how the wild witch was now. 

The noise from upstairs repeated itself, this time closer. Eda, out of instinct and with a growing suspicion, killed the light glyph she had summoned and sat in the dark, eyes keen. 

Down the stairs slunk Luz. She stopped momentarily to scrunch her face up at the witch laying asleep on the couch then hurried to the door. She glanced back into the dark and Eda reflexively leaned further into the shadows. Silent as an owl she watched as Luz swept the living room and kitchen beyond and, finding nothing, slipped out into the night. 

Eda closed her eyes with a heavy sigh. 

"Welllll? Are you going to go after her?" Hooty barely whispered from beside her. 

She opened her eyes. 

"No."

"Do you want me to keep an eye on her?"

"No Hooty." Eda said gently. For the first time that night she had begun to feel truly tired. She blinked and set a sleepy hand on her trusted friend.

Another shuffle from upstairs. The witch smiled knowingly.

"It seems someone already is."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Where could Luz be off to at this time of night?_
> 
> I know, waste of an update. I’m sorry. Purposefully short chapter this time. I’m just such a sucker for some sort of cliffhanger and we are getting close to the end of what I want to tell. 
> 
> Let me have my fun, because the next chapter won’t be easy. For any of us.


	8. Fall Leaves

Amity blinked her eyes open slowly. She thought she heard movement off to her left and was preparing herself for being jumped by Edric and Emira when she realized 3 things all at once. 

1\. She was not in her bed.  
2\. She was spending the night at The Owl House.  
3\. The door of the bedroom had just softly swung shut.

The green-haired witch sat up straight. When had she fallen asleep? The last thing Amity remembered, she was sleepily mumbling with Luz about school and how weird of a name Bump was. 

Stealing a glance to her left she mentally prepared herself to see the inevitably cute figure of Luz sleeping. Amber eyes stared for seconds into the dark before registering the distinct lack of well... anything. The blanket and pillow were abandoned.

The door.

Amity's heart sank. Had Luz fallen asleep at all? 

A cold feeling crept up her back, chasing away the warmth of the blankets she had just been bundled in. Amity knew what she wanted to do. She wanted to chase after her friend, this girl who was quickly becoming such a big part of her world. 

Yet she hesitated. 

The witch wasn't like Luz. Amity had never been one to just act. She overthought everything to the point of paralyzing herself in fear. It was why she started keeping diaries in the first place. To keep the thoughts from overwhelming her, as they often did. She had gotten really good at tackling the day to day anxieties she ran into, but that was before Luz. When she showed up, everything changed and then it just... kept changing. Day to day, the witch never knew what to expect from her new quirky friend. It was exhausting and it was exhilarating all at the same time.

What if Luz didn't want to be followed? What if she wanted to be left alone? Maybe she felt uncomfortable around the has-been bully. 

Amity heart sank even lower. It felt like it had hit rock bottom. 

Maybe she shouldn't have stayed the night. 

Downstairs she heard a door close. 

The house shook slightly with the thud of it closing and moonlight reflected off of something near Luz's storage chest. Shoving herself to her feet she grabbed her crutches and went to investigate.

Tucked behind the chest itself, in a small corner, was a backpack Amity had never seen before. It was different from the one Luz went to school with. This one looked much more beat-up and used. It had pins of all kinds stuck through it, barely anything Amity recognized. She picked it up gingerly. Obviously it was something Luz treasured. Stuffed half hazardly inside was a bunch of items. Amity didn't want to pry, knowing how embarrassed and angry she got when she found Luz poking around in her secret room, but she couldn't help but see the top two items. 

A water lilly crown and a framed photograph. 

All of Amity's many thoughts and worries stopped at once. She set the backpack back down carefully where it was and hurried out the bedroom door. 

It didn't matter what Amity feared. Luz was always there for her. Chasing after her. 

It was about time she started doing the same. 

***

__

_The wind whistled gently passed Luz's ears as she headed into the night. She knew vaguely where she was headed but her mind had been blank since she first stepped out the front door of the Owl House. She didn't know why and she was too tired to figure it out. She followed where her feet took her._

***

It didn’t take Amity long to find Luz. The girl was standing out in the middle of 2 rows of trees and looming largely, several feet in front of her was a massive cherry blossom tree. It towered far above the rest of the trees in the forest.

She was facing away from Amity and the witch didn’t think Luz had heard her yet. Despite being in a familiar place, the scene one of Amity’s most treasured memories, she felt a terrible dread. The way Luz just stood there, so despondent and unmoving, it terrified Amity.

This wasn’t right, this wasn’t Luz. Something was wrong. 

The wind didn’t blow and the noise that should’ve been in the forest was still. Standing there, only a few feet behind her friend, she felt miles away from Luz. 

“Luz?” She asked quietly, fighting through the fear that threatened to take over. 

Amity half expected Luz to jump and whip around, but instead she got something worse. 

Luz simply just didn’t move at all. 

Then, after several seconds, she straightened up.

“Amity?” Her voice was so far away. Amity had to strain to hear it. 

She took a step forward but it didn’t feel like she was anywhere close to closing the gap between them. Luz still didn’t move. 

“Luz, what are you doing out here?” The witch prompted.

Seconds passed. 

“I’m sorry, did I wake you?” Luz seemed not to hear Amity, but her voice still had the signature concern Luz always carried around and for her friends. 

Amity let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. There was a catch in Luz’s voice. It was faint and was almost eaten up in the silence surrounding them, but Amity caught it.

“No. You didn’t.” Amity reassured her, taking another step forward. Luz had yet to turn around. 

Amity had never seen her this still.

“Amity, do the leaves ever change here?” Luz asked.

“The leaves?” Amity repeated, confused. She looked around at the trees surrounding her. Their twisted and gnarled trunks led to spiked branches which held purple and orange needles. 

“On your trees. Do they ever change? You know, with the seasons?” Luz explained in monotone. “I guess I’ll see for myself here soon enough. In the human world… in my world, the leaves were just turning. I… forgot how beautiful they were.”

Amity clutched tightly to her crutches. She took another step. She was close enough now to Luz that she could reach out and set a hand on her shoulder. 

She almost did, but looking at Luz standing there, back against her, she was worried that a single touch could break the girl who had been through so much today. So instead she held still and waited.

“I didn’t mean to come out this far. It’s funny though. Cherry blossom’s are my mother’s favorite.”

Amity swallowed. Maybe it wouldn’t even take a touch. Luz seemed on the verge of breaking already. 

“I remember what you did for me. Here. You faced your fear that night Amity, even though you were scared. Even though you told me earlier that night that I was the one who did things you could never do.”

The night wind picked up meaningfully and the top of the cherry blossom tree swayed gently, a couple of petals blowing down and around the two standing on the ground. 

Luz finally turned around. 

Amity’s heart broke at the sight of her friend, standing only inches away, her large wide eyes filled with the tears that refused to fall. 

“What… what if I never get to see her again? What if I never get to face my fear?” Luz’s voice cracked, desperately looking to Amity for any sort of answer. 

Amity’s mouth was dry and her heart thudded in her chest. What could she say? In her mind the image that Luz was doodling earlier flashed. The briefcase, the door in Luz’s fear. It was her way home. 

Now in ashes.

Luz started to shake.

There was no hesitation, no thoughts, no panic. Amity dropped her crutches and reached forward to take Luz into her arms, enveloping her in a tight hug that conveyed the emotions that she couldn’t put into words. To provide comfort to the questions that she didn’t have answers to. 

The tears that Luz had been holding in for so long finally released and she collapsed into Amity’s arms.

The blossoms of the cherry tree swirled around them both as the night wind carried the sounds of soft sobbing through the trees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *crickets chirping*
> 
> So a couple of things.  
> \- You can’t tell me that being the adhd icon that Luz is, that she doesn’t have a little collection of stuff from her adventures on the Isles that mean the most to her. I hated how Luz simply threw her Grom Queen crown to the floor and just left it. That doesn’t seem right to me in the slightest. Even if they don’t want Luz crushing on Amity back, it makes no sense for her character, who is so clearly coded ADHD, to not hang onto something like that that might hold a strong memory for her.  
> \- Another couple of things that I wanted to include in her backpack are: Some green thread from Amity and Luz’s adventures in the library, a jar of the abomination goop that Willow covered her the day she snuck into Hexside, King’s little squeaky duck that he had when she first met him, and Eda’s glove from their trip to the “Knee” (hand not included).  
> \- The pain doesn’t end here.  
> \- Apologies for another short chapter. 
> 
> Love you all, as always, thank you for your support. It means everything.


	9. Light in the Dark

Luz's breathing began to calm as her soft sobs became slow infrequent sniffles. Amity had long ago guided them both to the ground where Luz had wrapped her arms around the witch's torso, head buried in Amity's arm. There she stayed, entirely unmoving as she let out all of the fear and sadness she had kept inside from her adventure. Amity could do nothing but hold her friend ever tighter and lightly rest her chin on top of Luz's head while she patiently waited. 

Eventually Luz's limbs came back to life and, at the first sign of movement, Amity released her hold on the human and sat up, allowing Luz to do the same.

Her eyes were red and puffy, and the ever present shine they had was dulled. Luz swiped at her face with the palm of her hand and gave the girl in front of her the faintest smile. 

“I’m sorry about your shirt. I probably ruined it.” 

Amity looked down at the baggy t-shirt she had thrown on in her rush to get out of the house. It was one of her sister’s old grudgeby team shirts. She had abandoned it after the team depicted lost 17 games in a row. Amity was still surprised her sister’s belief lasted even that long. 

“This thing? It was ruined years ago.” Amity reassured her. 

“I’m also sorry that I dragged you all the way out here. I’m fine, honest. Just been a long day… you know?“ Luz laughed nervously, avoiding the amber eyes that bore into her with their classic half-lidded stare. 

“Right…” Amity repeated, unbelieving. She sighed heavily and shifted herself into a comfier position. Stretching her legs out in front of her, she sat back with her arms behind her, staring up at the tree in front of them. Luz crossed her legs and clutched onto her ankles as she sat up straighter, following Amity’s gaze.

“I guess I should get you back home so you can get some actual sleep.” Luz said, moving to stand up. 

Amity’s hand shot out and held onto Luz’s wrist, stopping the girl from getting up. Luz stared at her, wide eyes full of alarm.

“No.” Amity said softly as she continued to stare ahead with a tired smile. “I want to stay out here a little longer. It’s been forever since I’ve gotten some fresh air.” 

Luz blinked as the green haired girl gently released her wrist. 

“Oh. Right.” Luz said, turning to stare at the ground. Amity watched out of the corner of her eye as Luz closed her eyes and took a deep breath. With the exhale of that breath her friend’s body relaxed. Luz flopped onto her back, her legs going up and out in front of her before crashing back down to the ground with a soft thud.

Amity smiled. Luz was back to being as restless as ever. She may not have been fine, but at least she was returning to normal. 

Her thoughts wandered as they sat there, listening to the sounds of the forest.

_“It’s funny though. Cherry blossom’s are my mother’s favorite.”_

Amity stared at the large tree in front of them. Having no idea how Luz’s glyphs worked, she couldn’t puzzle together how the absolute mess that was the abomination/grom/glyph combo, turned into such a gorgeous creation. Was it Luz’s subconscious as she called on the magic around her? Or was it Grom reading that subconscious thought and combining with the magic summoned by the glyphs?

She shivered, remembering the cold, unblinking eyes of Grometheus as it took the form of Luz. Faced her fear huh? She was gratefully saved from it by Luz rushing forward and finding out the truth. 

What her friend didn’t know, didn’t realize that night, was that it was much more then just a simple rejection to grom that Amity feared above all else.

She glanced at the prone figure of Luz at her side. Luz’s warm brown eyes met her amber ones and the human flashed a soft, genuine smile. 

Amity started to return the smile, unable to resist the happiness and warmth that Luz was always able to share, but before she able to, her friend’s face shifted in front of her. Suddenly those warm, wide eyes went cold and unblinking. They were uncaring in their gaze as they looked disapprovingly at the useless, incapable witch in front of her.

In Amity ears there was a ripping noise.

The witch stiffened and sat up rapidly, tearing her eyes away from what she knew to be just a vision. She desperately searched around the base of the tree and up it’s many twisted branches to find any sign of the black moving mass of Grom. Did it never truly leave? What if it’s spirit attached itself to this tree instead of returning to it’s lair under the school?

“Amity?” Luz asked, she was sitting up now, concern leaking heavily into her voice.

Afraid to turn and look behind her, Amity let her head fall against her chest. Grometheus was an active attacker. He fed off of the fear of confrontation. He wouldn’t be lurking around a tree in the middle of the woods pulling simple illusions. Right?

“It’s nothing.” Amity dismissed, replying to Luz. “Just the night getting to me or something.”

“Ok, because it looked like for a second you were afraid of me. Which would be ridiculous because we’re friends. Friends don’t fear each other. Or at least, I’m almost 99% positive they aren’t supposed to.”

Amity chuckled, imagining the image of Luz's 'otter with a darkside'. Scared of Luz? No. Scared of the feeling’s Amity had surrounding Luz? Oh titan’s foot. 

What was she going to do? 

Amity took a deep breath as she heard Luz shifting behind her. Suddenly a face appeared in front of hers. It was upside down and had a dorky grin on it’s face.

“Or is it just the dark, spoOoky, forest getting to you?” Luz teased, leaning over the witch who looked up at her with raised eyebrows. 

“Oh please. A human scaring a big bad witch like me? Not a chance.” She grinned back, somehow finding confidence and comfort in Luz’s antics.

A moment passed and the insecurities rushed right back in. Amity knew what she was.

“Besides, it’s you who should be afraid of me.” Amity said quietly, avoiding Luz’s eyes.

Luz straightened up without saying a word. She slowly walked around to Amity’s side and then, suddenly and dramatically plopped herself onto the ground and laid back across Amity’s lap.

“Oh nooooo. I’m so scared.” Luz announced with a dramatic drawl. Then she met Amity’s amber eyes with her own and offered the girl a wide smile. 

“So what, you used to be a bit of a bully? You’re the Hecate to my Azura. Rivals to friends remember? Besides, from what you told me about your parents…” Luz paused, unsure of how to continue. Her smile slipped just a bit.

“You’re better then them. You have a good heart Amity. No matter what you did before, it’s what you’re doing now that counts.” She said warmly. 

Amity’s breath caught in her throat, how had Luz seen through her so easily? How had she known exactly what to say? Sometimes she could be so blind, but then, there were those times when it felt like she knew Amity better then she knew herself. She could feel her heartbeat in her ears as the beginnings of tears formed in the corners of her eyes. 

She blinked them away rapidly. Now was not the time. She chanced a look down and saw Luz had pulled out her notepad and was scribbling a glyph. In a flash the human held a ball of light and was staring into it with wonder, as she always did. Then, holding it gently Luz looked up at Amity. 

“Plus, you can always count on me to be the… ‘light’ in the darkness.” She said as a massive grin snuck it’s way onto her face. 

The witch groaned loudly at the pun, but her face filled with a brightness she hadn’t felt in awhile. Her smile made it’s way to her heart and warmed it. A blush snuck it’s way onto Amity’s face.

Satisfied that she had adequately cheered up the girl in front of her, Luz let the light float up into the sky. They both watched it rise as it swirled and danced, joining in the light of the moon. It came to a rest below the top branches of the cherry blossom tree. 

“I’ll find my way back to my mom. I just know it.” Luz spoke confidently. Amity looked down at her as the human girl stared up at the pink blossoms encompassing the tree. In her lap Luz looked so small, but somehow, she believed her friend as she made her resolution. 

“How can I help?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha... haha. Sorry about disappearing with the updates there. Fun fact, last chapter is the scene that inspired me to start writing this in the first place. I wanted to get to a forest confrontation of Amity chasing after Luz and Luz being and feeling so far away. So quiet and un-Luz like that you could feel just how broken she was. 
> 
> So after I got there I hit the biggest wall. I panicked so hard. The story wasn’t ready to end just yet but I didn’t have any scenes I could do in mind. Now I’ve got one more I really want to do, but it’s foggy idea at best. Luckily Amity trauma is easy to write and Luz and our favorite green haired witch interacting is always good. I managed to go somewhere with just that even if this chapter feels really choppy and rushed to me.
> 
> _Imagine your most treasured memory being forever haunted by your worst fear. Rejection and disapproval by someone you care about so much._
> 
> Yikes. No way Amity doesn’t carry that image in her head.


	10. A Research Trip

The sky had just begun to brighten as Luz and Amity made their way across town. They went stealthily, both girls not knowing whether or not a curfew had been enacted or if Luz would be seen as wanted now. 

“Are you sure Eda would be ok with this?” Amity whispered as they dashed behind the cover of the nearest stall. She had gotten really good at using her crutches to move quickly and silently.

“Eda?” Luz answered as she weaved in and out of the the various merchant carts that lay out in the plaza. “She’ll be fine. Besides, she hates the library anyways. Too much learning, not enough chaos.” She laughed quietly as they both pressed themselves against the wall of a building. 

“Well, it’s not usually chaos unless you and the twins show up…” Amity grumbled to herself. 

Luz turned around with a sheepish smile. “In my defense, that was the day I finally won you over.”

Amity simply made a face as a reply as she leaned over to peer around the corner of the building. The library was only a couple of feet away, but they would need time to pick the lock. It was still too early for it to be open to the public.

“Alright, _chaos_ , watch my back while I magic the lock. And do not get caught!”

“Aye aye Ma’am.” Luz saluted with a grin. 

Amity rolled her eyes, looked both ways and then made a dash across the small courtyard leading up to the library.

When the twins had first broken in to the library she made sure they taught her the lock picking spell as an apology. It had been awhile since she practiced it though. With that worrying thought in her head she climbed the steps and slowly approached the large doors. Shifting into a more comfortable postion on her crutches, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and held out her hand. 

“Hoooo, HOOOOT!” A definitely not-owl called out across the courtyard. Amity’s eyes snapped open and she whipped around to see Luz gesturing wildly to the left. Glancing in that direction she saw a pair of 2 guards marching towards her. 

The young witch’s eyes widened as she realized she couldn’t possibly make it back to Luz before the guards would see her. 

She glanced around for any sort of cover to duck behind and realized with despair that it was too open. There was no where to hide.

“Hoot! Hoot hoot!” Luz cawed for her attention. Amity shot her friend a look. She was going to get caught if she kept this up. 

Luz grinned widely as soon as she was noticed and mouthed “Get ready.”

Amity could only stare as Luz pulled out her notepad and scribbled 2 glyphs. Glancing around the corner of the building she checked the position of the guards and tapped them quickly before tossing both out in the middle of the pathway. 

In a flash both glyphs sprouted into 2 large flowery shrubs close enough together to provide a perfect hiding spot. Amity got the message. Stashing her crutches against the wall she hobbled over and hid herself amongst the foliage as the guards walked by. 

One of the pair stopped in his march and admired the new addition while both Luz and Amity held their breath.

“Hm, guess the library finally hired some witches from the plant coven to spruce up the place.” He said, thoughtfully stroking his chin.

“Yeah, duh, why else would these suspiciously placed bushes make any sense.” The other guard chuckled patting the first guard on the back with a heavy clap. “Come on, let’s keep moving, don’t want to be here when all the nerds swarm in. Heh… reading. Lame.” 

The first guard shivered. “Right. I’d rather face Emperor Belos then get caught in a swarm of book loving nerds.” He grumbled as they both continued on their way. 

Amity popped her head out of the bush to watch them leave.

“Uneducated idiots.” The witch snarled. She glanced over to Luz who was glaring at them meaningfully. The human began rolling up her sleeves and Amity knew she intended to go after them. She smiled, grateful that Luz was so ready to defend the library. 

“They’re not worth it.” She hissed at her friend from across the courtyard, trying to get her attention.

Luz scowled, clearly unhappy, but she unrolled her sleeves and glanced both ways before sneaking over to Amity’s hiding spot. 

“Can I rough them up just a little bit? Just you know, leave a little bit of ice in their path so they slip?” She looked up at Amity with big pleading eyes.

“Later. Right now let’s just get in the library.” Amity said peaking her head out of the bushes once more to avoid Luz’s gaze. Amber eyes searched for any remaining guards or civilians before dashing across the courtyard once again.

Now in front of the doors she took a deep breath and closed her eyes in concentration. She could feel Luz’s wonder filled gaze on her as she held out her hand. Delicately circling the air with her hand, Amity guided the magic with her fingers and tugged it as she felt it curl around the lock. Opening her eyes she held her breath as the lock shivered once, then twice before finally clicking open and falling to the ground. 

Breathing out a sigh of relief she heard Luz whooping from her hiding spot in the bushes.

“You did it!!” She cheered, a little too loudly for how early it was.

Luz must’ve seen the panic on Amity’s face because she quickly clapped both her hands over her mouth and glanced all around them both.

“Let’s just get inside, quickly.” Amity hissed as she peeled the door open and snagged her crutches. Luz nodded as she dashed inside, dragging Amity in with her.

***

Luz groaned into the book she was reading and sank lower into the beanbag chair. Amity tore her eyes away from her own book and glanced at her friend.

“There’s nothing here! We’ve gone through nearly all of the human books this place has and frankly most of them are inaccurate at best and insulting at worst!” She exclaimed angrily. 

They had been holed up in Amity’s secret room for a couple of hours now, piles of books stacked haphazardly all over the floor and table. 

“There’s not even a mention of a rumor or myth in any of these books on how I’m going to get home!” 

“Well maybe we should grab a couple of myth and legends books next time we go out.” Amity suggested helpfully with a small smile she didn’t quite feel. She was beginning to fear that there was no other way back to the human dimension.

She looked down at the frazzled girl sitting by her side. Luz looked exhausted, she had large bags under her eyes and it suddenly occurred to Amity that the girl probably had not slept in the last 2 days. 

The green-haired witch stood up from the desk she was sitting at and plucked the book Luz was holding out of her hands and held it up.

“‘Humans: A Creature Far Beyond Simple Understanding.’? What a pretentious title.” Amity scowled.

Luz chuckled and the sound brought a real smile to Amity’s face.

“Like honestly if it’s beyond a simple understanding, why the heck are you writing a book about it, you dunce?” She continued, prompting another giggle out of Luz. 

Gaining confidence, Amity walked around to the side of the bean bag and took a seat next to Luz. She made a dramatic showing of tossing the book onto a nearby pile and leaned back against the cushy seat.

“Maybe we both need a break. Honestly everything is just blurring together right now.” Amity admitted sheepishly, staring up at the ceiling. She heard Luz sigh heavily next to her as she shifted. Suddenly the human had her head resting against Amity’s shoulder and the witch’s heart nearly stopped beating completely. 

“Alright. Fair. I guess we have been at it for awhile.” She admitted sleepily nuzzling further into Amity as she spoke.

Amity couldn’t reply. She was frozen. She didn’t want to move or shift an inch for fear of missing out of this moment. The witch closed her eyes and calmed herself, focusing on Luz’s gentle breathing.

This was fine. She was fine. They were fine. 

_Everything was fine._

Her phone buzzed.

Luz shifted slightly. “Dang, I guess other people are just now waking up huh?” 

Amity groaned internally. Of course someone was ruining this. Sighing she bent forward as Luz lifted her head up slightly to let the witch snatch her phone of the table. As she unlocked it, she felt the human gently lay her head back down where it was and nearly dropped her phone as a blush rose to her cheeks. 

Her phone buzzed again.

“Who’s bothering you?” Luz mumbled quietly.

“I don’t know, but whoever or whatever it is, it better be important.” Amity snarled.

Luz chuckled as Amity’s heart dropped out of her chest.

Even the warmth of Luz being so close couldn’t keep the cold from entering her bones as she read the messages she had missed.

- _Mittens, Mom has been wondering where you are._  
- _She seems angry._

It was Emira. Seconds later another number entered the chat her sister had started.

- _You better get home soon Amity…_

Her brother calling her by her real name? Something was definitely wrong. Luz picked up on the icy silence emanating off of her friend and picked her head up as she flipped onto her stomach.

“Amity?” She asked, staring worriedly.

Amity stood up fast. “I uh… I better get home. My mom’s wondering where I am.” She said shortly.

Luz’s eyes widened. “Amity…” She started fearfully. For some reason Amity felt compelled to reassure her.

“It’s probably fine. You should probably get home yourself and get some sleep.” She said kindly, offering a hand to help Luz up.

“I can go with you if you’d li-“

“No!” Amity snapped sharply, realizing with horror what Luz was about to offer. “I mean… no. I don’t want them to know about you. You… you know what they did to Willow. What I did to Willow because of their threats.” 

Luz nodded somberly. She took Amity’s hand and together they walked out of the secret room. The clacking of Amity’s crutches echoed off the tall shelves. The library had opened in the time it had taken them to go through the books and there were a couple of people milling about in the aisles. Amity could tell as they walked that Luz wanted to say something more, but she never did. As they exited into the bright sunlight of day Luz grabbed Amity’s wrist. 

“Amity wait. Before you go home…” She said, trailing off and looking at the ground.

Amity looked at her confused, waiting for her to continue, but instead of finishing the thought Luz simply wrapped her arms tightly around her neck. 

“Thank you.” She whispered as Amity stood there, frozen again. She let her chin fall onto Luz’s shoulders and closed her eyes. 

“Anytime Luz.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I. Wrote. This. Entire. Chapter. And. Forgot. About. Amity’s. Darn. Crutches. 
> 
> AHHHHHHH. Dang it Amity! Why do you have to be such a martyr and refuse getting that leg treated? Do you know how hard it is to write an action stealth sequence while keeping in mind your injury and the fact that you walk around with crutches?!
> 
> Titan’s foot. Sorry if they seem out of place this chapter, I literally had to shoe horn them in. Yikes. 
> 
> Also, have some cute fluff and enjoy it, please. I already have a small scene from the next chapter typed out and... guys it’s going to be hard to get through. Harder then Luz breaking down completely in a forest. 
> 
> So... yeah...
> 
> In other news, Luz needs sleep. Get some sleep Luz.


	11. Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Warning: Mentions of Light Parental Abuse in this chapter!** Please, if reading anything like that triggers you, read with caution. Even the smallest things can still drag up unpleasant memories. Take care of yourself.

Amity's feet dragged as she approached the Blight Manor. The building loomed largely in front of her, the lavishly decorated halls and corridors that were inside feeling more intimidating then homely. As she walked inside she desperately wished she was back in the library with Luz's head on her shoulder.

She hobbled into the living room where Edric and Emira were posted up on the large staircase that led to the upper level. 

"Mittens! You're alive! We were worried." Edric teased half heartedly. His normal mirth was tinged with nervousness. Emira gave a small smile and gestured to the kitchen. 

"Mom said she wanted to see you, and then drew one of those silencing glyphs surrounding the kitchen while she talked to dad. "

Emira moved to put a hand on her sisters shoulder and looked down at her with worry. 

"Dad left a little bit ago, but the spell is still up and she hasn't come out since. "

Amity nodded. With a supportive ruffle to her hair her brother and sister went upstairs and left Amity alone, standing before the doorway to the kitchen. 

There was a small blue glow emanting around the door frame itself and Amity knew it was the silencing spell. Her chest tightened. 

_She probably just forgot to take it down after her conversation with dad..._

Taking a deep breath she pushed the door open and walked inside. 

***

Luz barely made it within 10 feet of the Owl House before Hooty exploded up from the ground in front of her. 

Reflexes shot because of lack of sleep Luz was only barely able to catch herself from getting knocked over. 

"LUUUUZZZZZ!" Hooty trilled as he began to weave up and down in circles around her. "Whatcha been up to?" He asked, tilting his bird face. 

Disheartened and tired Luz dragged her feet as she continued towards the house. 

"Oh nothing, Hooty. I just went to the library with Amity this morning." She answered sullenly

"Oooooh, learrrning." Hooty commented, retracting himself completely back to the house. Seconds later, Luz heard him from outside the door.

"LUUZZZ WAS AT THE LIBRARY THIS MORNING WITH AMIIITTTY. Why doesn't anyone ever take me to the library. Yeeeeesh."

"You can't just take a house to the library!! That’s why!" Eda yelled back. 

"Doesn't mean I wouldn't appreciate an offer..." Hooty grumbled.

Luz smiled as she opened the door. She had always thought of the Owl House as a home away from home, but until she found a new portal to her dimension... this was her _only_ home.

***

Her mother towered over Amity as she walked into the kitchen. Out of reflex Amity immediately backed up and found herself pinned against the wall as her mother approached her. 

"You sure took your time getting home, didn't you dear. Where were you last night anyways?" Her mother asked airily. 

Amity gulped and hid her panic under the half lidded stare she had mastered. "I was spending the night at Boscha's. Didn't Edric or Emira tell you?"

"Really? Is that the truth Amity?" Her mother asked. The tone in her voice was indiscernible. 

"Ye-"

A sharp pain flooded the side of Amity's face. It burned and stung with a fresh ferocity that Amity had never experienced before. The young witch began seeing spots as her hand flew to her cheek trying to dispel the pain. 

What just happened? The world slowed as the pain increased, the sting giving way to a powerful dull ache. 

No...

This couldn't be happening. Right? This wasn't something that just happened. 

Amity blinked the beginnings of tears out of her eyes. Her mother had always been awful, but never before had she laid a hand on Amity or the twins. Trying to calm her breathing Amity desperately searched her mother's face for some sort of reason why. 

Under the calm and cool demeanor her mother normally wore she noticed something she had never seen before written on the stern woman's face. Bags under her eyes and creases on the side of the eyes gave away the stress she had expertly hidden. Her mother's hardened eyes softened just a bit as they casually slid their anger off of her daughter.

"Such a shame. I called Boscha's mother when I got home this morning. She told me she hasn't seen you in weeks. Now tell me how that's possible if you 'spent the night' over there as you claimed."

"I'm sorry... I... snuck away. I needed some fresh air, that's all I swear." Amity confessed in a rush. She could feel just how sore her jaw was as she talked and kept her hand pressed firmly against her cheek.

Her mother sighed. "Right." She stated plainly, unconvinced or uncaring, Amity couldn’t tell which. 

The woman strolled confidently away from Amity and the young witch had to fight to keep her legs from buckling. She fell back against the wall for support, her breathing still shaky. She clutched tightly to her only crutch her hand was still connected to as she tried to regain some balance. 

Amity _had_ to keep it together. 

"Anyways, I called you home for a reason. I have a job for you. You can consider it a chance to make up for having lied to me." The older woman announced, her back still turned.

"As I'm sure you've heard by now there was an... incident at the Conformatorium yesterday. It involved that no good wild criminal Edalyn. Apparently she's been harboring a human these last few weeks and it made enough chaos yesterday to allow her time to escape. Leave it to a no good feral to even associate with a creature as disgusting as a human."

Amity's heartbeat threatened to burst out of her chest as it pounded in her ears. 

This couldn't be happening. 

No... please no. 

Not Luz. 

"Anyways, somehow that villian snuck the human into Hexside where it's been using and spreading some kind of human magic. The Emporer let Eda go, she'll forever be cursed in that painful owl form and without magic, but this human concerns him. He suggested we keep an eye on it."

Her mother whipped around with a purposeful glare and a gleam in her eye.

"Since you are in it's class, I told him you would be absolutely _delighted_ to keep an eye on it."

Amity could only nod, afraid to speak. Afraid to reveal anything at all that could put Luz in jeopardy. 

Her mother's eyes softened. She approached Amity once more and brought her hand up to cup the young witches face. Amity winced at the contact, and her breath caught in her throat. 

"Oh my sweet darling. Don't you see? This is your chance to really prove yourself to the Emperor. This is your chance to assure your future." She purred in a sickly sweet voice.

The hand moved to her daughter's hair where it gently held a mint strand. 

The woman's expression changed to it's classic scowl of disapproval. 

"Ahh... if only you could've been born with the signature Blight green. This dye never seems to take well." She sighed as she let the strand fall. She straightened and walked away, calling out over her shoulder as she left the room.

"And dear, make sure you get that nasty bit of brown redone quickly. It's becoming more and more apparent by the day."

***

"Why the long face kid?" Eda asked after a couple of minutes of Luz just silently picking at her food. 

“It’s nothing.” Luz mumbled before setting her face on the table.

“Ah yes, the dreaded nothing. Feared by all.” King teased sarcastically.

Luz lifted her face slightly to stick out her tongue before dropping it again with a thud.

“How do we… fix it?” Lilith half whispered to her sister, gesturing to Luz with the end of her spoon. 

“Well first it’s got to tell us what’s bothering it.” Eda said loudly, not bothering to whisper in the slightest. She side eyed Luz who didn’t even budge. 

“..m …ord ..ut ..ity…” Came a muffled voice after a few seconds.

“What?” King asked, hopping on the table to lift Luz’s head so they could all hear her better.

“I’m worried about Amity!” Luz exclaimed exasperated. King let her head fall and she lifted it up almost immediately.

“She just seemed so scared when she went home.”

“Why would she be scared to go home? Aren’t the Blights ridiculously rich?” Eda wondered aloud, emphasizing her question with a spoon.

“You don’t understand Eda, Amity’s parents ar-"

“Amity will be fine Luz. Sure her parent’s are strict, but they just want the best for her.” Lilith interrupted, waving her hand as if that took care of everything. 

Luz’s eyes immediately flashed with rage.

“Oh and you would know best how Amity feels. You embarrassed her in front of everyone at the Covention. You didn’t trust her to win, so you forced her to cheat. You used her.” She spat out, remembering bitterly just how heartbroken Amity looked last night.

_It’s just another person who thought I wasn’t enough._

Lilith’s eyes widened at Luz’s outburst. Eda had a small smile playing on her lips, proud of Luz for standing up for her friend.

“She trained with you for, what, months? Years? Did you even know her mother forces her to dye her hair?!“ Luz continued on her assault.

Eda’s smile immediately slipped from her face as Lilith paled. King fell backwards into a sitting position as his eyes widened.

“That’s… that’s not right kid.” Eda said quietly. 

“No.” Luz answered bitterly, her eyes fixed on a spot on the table. “It’s not.”

Lilith sat there in silence for awhile thinking before she spoke next.

“I… I did not know that. But I do know that no matter how strict or harsh they may get, I have never known the Blight’s to lay a hand on any of their children. Not that it makes their treatment of her any better.” She said carefully watching her words as she spoke them.

Luz’s eyes widened. “I… never thought… I couldn’t imagine. “ She stuttered, the realization that Amity could be abused in that way hitting her like a truck. She groaned loudly and her head flopped back onto the table.

Eda’s hand curled into a fist. “Lilly, how sure are you?” 

Lilith just looked at her sister with an uncertain gaze. “I don’t think they would. They couldn’t. They love their children…”

Eda’s lip curled. 

“Well Luz, you could always message her to see how she’s doing can’t you?” She proposed after a moment.

“I can’t! My phone doesn’t connect to whatever service is even on the Boiling Isles. Me and Gus tried everything we could to make it work one day.”

“Well, that’s an easy fix then, just use Lilly’s.” Eda said, reaching into her sister’s pocket and plucking out her phone. She slid it across the table to Luz.”

“Excuse me?” Lilith exclaimed indignantly. 

Luz gasped as she cradled the phone in her hands. “Eda are you giving me a phone?!”

Eda grinned. “Oh titan’s no. I’m giving you Lilly’s phone.”

Luz jumped up from the table and wrapped Eda in a tight hug. “Oh thank you!” She looked at Lilith with wide eyes. “Do you have Amity’s number on here?!” 

“Well, yes but you can’t just have m-“ Lilith stopped short as Eda shot her a venomous glare. She sighed. 

“Yes. It is in there. You better let her know it’s you though. She hasn’t messaged me since the Covention.”

Luz barely heard her as she dashed upstairs to her room.

“Oh kids these days. They always have their heads in their phones. ” Eda commented, shaking her head with a smile.

Lilly’s mouth opened and closed wordlessly. King attempted to aim bits of Luz’s breakfast into her mouth as she flapped it.

Finally she got her words together enough to close her mouth and stare at her sister, a piece of food smacking her face as she attempted to speak. The look that Lilith shot the little demon king was ferocious enough to elicit a squeak from him as he scrambled off the table.

“You are impossible sister.”

“Guilty as charged.” Eda smirked back. “But did you see how happy it made her? The girl needs to be able to communicate with her friends more often. Especially now.” She said, her voice and eyes softening as she gazed towards the steps. 

Lilith blinked. Right. The portal. She remembered the wide eyed stare as she pushed the human into her own dimension. It wasn’t all just alarm. Luz had looked almost longingly at the forest surrounding the door they emerged from.

“Edalyn… is there really no other way back for her?” She asked after a pause.

“I don’t know Lilly… I don’t know.”

***

Amity barricaded herself up in her room, terrified that the twins may try and and check up on her if she didn’t have the door locked. Her face ached and she was actively fighting back tears as she clutched tightly to the blanket that was on her bed.

What was she going to do?

Her mind was numb for the first time since she had left her bed last night. She didn’t know what to think anymore, it seemed like in just one short night everything had gone so wrong. 

Luz was now stuck in the Demon Realm, stuck with Emperor Belos and his coven keeping an eye on her.

No. That wasn’t true anymore.

They wanted Amity to watch her for them. She thought about lying, keeping Luz safe by giving false reports seemed like the best case scenario but as the thought crossed her mind, her hand crept up to her face. She looked up at the mirror on the desk in front of her bed. Amity’s shadowed eyes accenting the very apparent and growing mark on her cheek. 

She felt cold fear grip her heart. What would her mother do then? Would she take matters into her own hands after she had finished with Amity? What would happen to Luz if they no longer trusted Amity to watch her?

The first tear finally escaped her eye, and soon her face was wet with multiple more.

Amity was afraid, terrified for herself and for Luz. What was she supposed to do? How was she going to keep them both safe?

The tears kept rolling out, one after another as Amity no longer had the strength left in her to fight them back. She thought of Luz standing there, alone in the woods looking broken and beaten, and the witch remembered her friend’s warm smile as she looked up from Amity’s lap with supportive eyes. 

Her phone buzzed from somewhere near her. 

She ignored it, unable to stop her tears long enough to look for it, a couple of seconds went by before it buzzed again. Now irritated, Amity grabbed at it and brought to her face, squinting through her tears to see who it was. 

The missed messages were from Lilith. Lilith Clawethorn. Her old mentor.

_– Hey Amity! I got a phone now!!_

_– Well… like a real phone, like yours and everyone else’s._

Amity sniffled, staring at her phone in pure confusion. Her tears slowed and she blinked a couple of times, clearing her vision to read the messages again. She checked the contact once more, just to be sure. 

She went to set it aside, knowing she wasn’t anywhere in the mood to speak to the witch who nearly killed Luz just the other day, when it buzzed again. 

Glancing down she read the new message.

_\- Oh right! I guess I should tell you who this is.  
\- It’s me! Luz! _

Amity wiped her face, her heart beating rapidly as she replied, unable to quash the hope that spread through her. 

_\- Luz?  
  
– You know! Ex-imposter Abomination? Chaos at the Library? Your fearless champion and date to Grom?  
– That Luz._

_\- How… when did you get a phone? Or… I guess Lillith’s phone?_

_– Oh Eda stole it for me. Well… more like forced Lilith to give it to me. I don’t feel. bad though.  
– How did everything go? Are you ok?_

Amity’s heart thudded in her chest. She could feel herself calming as she thought of Luz, excitedly texting her out of all people. Worried about her…

What could she even say?

_\- Can you meet me at the Library later? I can update you while we look through some more books.  
\- You still need to get some sleep.  
  
– Why not meet now? I’m not that sleepy anyways. _

The witch hesitated. She knew that Luz was lying, but she knew she would probably just stay up until she got a real answer out of Amity. 

_\- Ok. I’ll meet you there in 10 or 20 minutes._  
  
– See ya soon! <3 

Amity struggled to wipe the rest of her tears away, staring hard at the heart that Luz left at the end of her message. She felt her entire face heat up and refused to look in the mirror again. She already knew she was red. 

Luz was going to be the death of her before the day was over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel sick. I usually like to keep my stories within the realm of canon and possibility of the show itself, so do I think Disney would ever write a character as disgusting as Amity’s mother? No. Did that comment Dana made about her forcing Amity to dye her hair really upset and stick with me? Yes. I just couldn’t stop thinking about it and before I knew it, this was written. I’m so sorry. I do not have any reference to abuse such as this in my life. My abuse stemmed from something different, but I can only hope I treated this with as much delicacy and seriousness that a topic as serious as abuse deserves.
> 
> Someone, please get Amity out of that house... away from her mother. Please...
> 
> And Luz... get some sleep.


	12. Safe

Amity checked herself in the mirror. She had put on all new clothing and put her hair back up as well. She looked almost… refreshed. As if the night before and this morning hadn’t happened. There was only one thing that was wrong. 

The bruise on her cheek was undeniable. It was a painful and apparent reminder of what had happened that Amity couldn’t push down or ignore. The young witch fumbled around her desk looking for any make-up that could hopefully cover it, finding it tucked behind a little jewelry box that her mother had given her years ago. Her hand hesitated by the box, hovering for just a moment, before sending it crashing to the floor with a sweep of her wrist.

Breathing heavily, she angrily kicked the contents away from her with her good foot and grabbed at the concealer that was hidden behind its place on the desk.

Amity knew she couldn’t tell anyone what her mother had done to her. The only people that would even believe her couldn’t do anything about it anyways. The knowledge that nothing would or could be done burned in her mind as she felt the fresh sting of tears in her eyes. She wiped them away, frustrated and exasperated, and set to work on covering the bruise. 

***

“And where would you be off to darling?” Alador Blight questioned his daughter as she came down the stairs. 

Amity froze. Her father was laid out on the couch, the tall, graying man had his eyes closed but Amity knew he was addressing her. Glancing around she noticed the silencing glyph had been removed from the kitchen and that her mother was no where to be found. 

Best to be honest.

“I was going to the library to study up on humans.” 

Her father’s eyes opened and he looked over at her with a tired smile. 

“Ah, that’s my girl. Taking the job the Emperor gave you seriously I see.” He said with a twinge of pride in his voice. 

Amity nodded, walking past him towards the door. She wanted to get out of there quickly, before any more questions were asked.

“Not so fast young lady. Your mother told me what you pulled this morning. The twins will be going with you to make sure you don’t go telling any more lies.”

Amity stopped in her tracks, horrified. 

“No! They can’t!” she exclaimed before she was able to stop herself. One of her hands left her crutches and flew to cover her mouth.

Her father’s eyes narrowed. He stood up slowly from the couch and walked deliberately towards her. Alador looked exhausted, his eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep and his normally well groomed hair was sticking up all over the place. He still had his Coven uniform on and the white cape billowed behind him as he glowered down at Amity.

“Now I don’t exactly know what’s gotten into you lately Amity, but I don’t like it. We were able to overlook the abomination incident at school and the disaster that was Grom, but if you think you can just lie to your mother and now have the audacity to give me attitude, _**you are sorely mistaken.**_ I will not tolerate _any_ sort of disrespect in this house!” Alador boomed at her. Amity could only stare at the floor, her hand returning to the crutch as her grip grew ever tighter.

“Now you will take your brother and sister to the library where they can keep an eye on you and you will do so dutifully and without complaint.” He ordered as Amity nodded in response, not trusting herself to speak.

"I want to hear you agree Amity." Alador commanded.

"Yes sir."

“ _Annd?_ ” He asked dangerously. 

“And I’m sorry for disrespecting you sir. It won’t happen again.” The young witch complied in shame.

Alador smiled, “That’s my good girl.” He commended her as he turned to face the staircase. “Edric, Emira! Get down here!”

The twins appeared at the top of the staircase and flew down the stairs with forced smiles. 

“Yes father?” They echoed one another.

“Amity is going to the library to do some research on her new job for the Emperor and his coven. You two will be accompanying her to make sure she is doing exactly that and nothing else.” He commanded as he moved past them both.

“Have a good day out children. Your mother and I will probably be gone again tonight so you’ll have to provide yourselves with dinner.” He said airily as he climbed the stairs and disappeared. 

***

“So Mittens, you must be in some real big trouble if you got us assigned to be your babysitters. What'd you do?” Edric teased from Amity’s left.

“It’s none of your business. Let’s just agree to split up when we hit the library and we can all tell Mom and Dad that we did exactly what they asked.” Amity replied irritably as they all marched towards the library. 

“Mhmmm, I don’t think so Mittens. What’s this new job you got anyways?” Emira asked, popping up on Amity’s right.

“And what’s so important about it that you have to go to the library of all places?” Edric continued with a shiver. 

“Like I said, it’s none of your business. All you have to do is leave me alone so I can do what I'm told. _As I always do._ " Amity's voice had a hint of bitterness as she picked up her pace, leaving the twins behind to stare at one another in confusion and worry.

“Amity, wait.” Emira called after her sister, putting a hand on her shoulder. 

Amity, already having enough of the day and her family, violently jerked away from the contact. 

“Just leave me alone! I don’t want you bothering me today!” She yelled, keeping her face down. Hesitating only for a second as Emira recovered from the outburst Amity dropped her crutches and ran. 

The young witch no longer cared about how her foot felt. It didn’t matter. All she wanted was to go to her secret room, where Luz would be waiting and maybe just maybe, the world wouldn’t seem like it was crashing in on her.

Edric bent down to pick up his sister’s crutches as Emira clutched at her chest. 

“That’s probably something we should be concerned about, isn’t it?” He asked as he stood up again.

“Yeah. I’d say so.” Emira replied with a serious look on her face. 

“Do we go after her?” 

“We have to. Even if Mittens wants to be alone. You and I both know if she gets into trouble or Mom and Dad find out she went off alone…” Emira trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

“Right. I guess, just this once, we can leave her be when we get to the library. Mittens deserves a break.” Edric said solemnly, slinging the crutches over his shoulders.

Emira grinned. “Just this once.” She agreed as they set off after their wayward sister.

***

“Amity!” Luz’s eyes lit up in delight as she saw her friend hobble around the corner. Glancing up at her with a small smile, Amity eyes widened. The human looked awful, as if she was on the verge of falling asleep leaning against the romance section of the library. She wondered briefly how long Luz had been waiting, before taking note of the stack of books sitting by her friend’s feet. Amity gestured to them.

“Oh good, you picked out a couple more books. I’m sure we’ll find something soon.” She said with a supportive smile. Taking a step forward, she went to pick them up as her injury finally caught up with her. Her foot, no longer able to support her weight, gave out as Amity toppled, heading face first into the bookshelf. 

Luz was there in an instant, her surprisingly strong arms holding Amity in place as she carefully maneuvered them both back into a standing position.

“Amity! Your foot! Where are your crutches?” Luz asked accusatorially as she wrapped an arm around the witch’s back to hold her steady. She pulled the secret book lever to open the room within and guided them both inside. 

“ I uh… I dropped them on the way here.” Amity admitted sheepishly, wincing as they took each step. 

Luz didn’t say a word as the bookshelf swung shut behind them. Instead she led Amity to the beanbag chair on the floor and helped her sit down before quickly pulling over the desk chair and setting Amity’s injured foot up on it. Satisfied that she had taken care of the immediate problem, Luz stood over her friend with crossed arms.

“Why?” She asked plainly, her face clearly expressing her disapproval. 

Amity looked down, her foot throbbing and emotions shot, she felt the fresh sting of tears in her eyes as she thought of something… anything she could say.

Luz’s face softened as she saw Amity on the verge of tears. Her eyes grew wide in horror as she quickly moved to sit at her friends side. She clung onto the witch’s arm as the first of the tears slipped out.

“I’m sorry, Amity I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to get upset! I’m just worried about you.” 

Amity didn’t say a word, she couldn’t. Instead she simply turned and leaned into Luz’s chest, tightly closing her eyes to stop more tears from rolling out. Luz’s hands clutched tighter onto her arm, but the girl still said nothing. Amity knew her friend had a million questions she was dying to ask but Luz chose to remain quiet, letting Amity have the time she needed. 

It was just another thing Amity loved about her. 

Her shoulders slumped as she buried her head further into the warmth and safety that was Luz. After a moment, the human released her iron grip on Amity’s arm and instead gently maneuvered her arms out from under Amity and wrapped them around her back as she held the green-haired girl in a tight embrace. 

“I’m here.” A voice said softly in her ear as Luz rested her head on Amity’s shoulder. It was all she could think to say.

“ _I’m here._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know a chapter has a ton of emotion when you finish typing it with a heavy sigh. Seriously, this was meant to simply be Amity making it back to the library, and establishing her dad. Which can I just say I had fully intentioned to be a tired father who just goes along with what his wife demands and urges his kids to do the same for all of their benefit.
> 
> Instead he turned out to be just as awful as his wife. I’ll have even more about the both of them soon enough.
> 
> I felt Amity also wasn’t as ready as I was to move onto the next scene, so instead she gets her chance to take the time she needs. Finally, in a place she can feel safe. 
> 
> Someone finally gave this girl a hug. Luz however, still has not gotten any sleep. Get some sleep, Luz. 
> 
> (Also the disaster at Grom that Alador was referring to has nothing to do with Luz, as far as her parents knew, Amity was the only Grom Queen and she let Grometheus escape the school for the first time in years.)


	13. Seeds of Blight

Lilith sat on the couch stiffly, eyes closed in concentration. She was trying desperately to reach the magic within her. Magic was all Lilith had ever known, it couldn’t just… dry up. It had to still be in there, somewhere. Even if her sister gave up on finding it again, she wouldn’t.

She couldn’t.

“Hey Lily. Could you maybe do your stiff concentration bit somewhere else? I’m trying to think.” Eda’s voice cut through Lilith’s mind like a knife. Actually it was more like a dull razor that roughly grated as it cut through her thoughts.

She sighed and slid her eyes open to glare at her sister. “What could you possibly be thinking about, oh great Owl Lady who is always one step ahead?”

Eda looked serious for just a moment before she scrunched up her face and stuck her tongue out at her sister.

“Bite me. I’m thinking about the kid I have just now suddenly adopted and her troubled green-haired friend.” She said, guarding her tone and emotions.

Lilith blinked. Something serious was actually on her sister’s mind? She couldn’t believe it. She raised an eyebrow as Eda started to pace, a hand on her chin. The former covenless witch looked… anxious? That didn’t seem right. Suddenly Eda froze and fixed her eyes on her sister. 

“You were in the Emperor’s Coven with the Blight’s. What do you know about them?” She asked accusatorially.

“Sister I don’t see how I’m supposed to hel-“

“Yada yada, I don’t see how blah blah blah.” Eda teased her. “ Just tell me alright? Humor me for a bit.” She growled out suddenly annoyed and impatient.

Lilith made a face to display her displeasure about being interrupted, but then she thought on it. What did she know about Amity’s parents?

“Well, you remember Odalia from Hexside, naturally gifted and,” 

“And absolutely unbearable.” Eda finished for her, rolling her eyes as she remembered.

Lilith nodded. “A Blight through and through. She’s still obsessed with carrying on her family’s legacy. So it’s not any surprise that she pushed that obsession onto her kids.”

“Wait, hold on, there’s more then one?” Eda looked at her sister with wide eyes.

Lilith glared at her sister at yet another interruption.

“Yes. Before Amity, her and Alador gave birth to twins. Edric and Emira. However it was very apparent from the start that those two did not carry the Blight’s classic magical ability. They excelled at Illusions, but that was about it. Not to mention they didn’t have the discipline or care to apply themselves more then what was necessary. They barely squeaked past Hexside’s entrance exam with a practical joke gone, very, very wrong. It was mortifying for Odalia. Belos wrote them off for the Emperor’s coven pretty quickly after.” 

Eda couldn’t help but grin, remembering her own entrance exam and just how mad both Lilly and Bump were at her. She puzzled together that Edric and Emira must’ve been those older teens that were with Amity that day they spent at the Knee.

“Then Amity came into her powers… and it was clear she was something special.” Lilith continued, her voice tinged in awe and pride, however her face soon grew dark.

“Odalia latched onto her instantly, pushing her to discipline and hone that power. When the Emperor started to work us all even harder, she put me in charge of the girl’s tutelage so that she could keep up with the new workload. But… I barely had to do a thing. Amity pushed herself harder then most grown witches I knew. She was already leagues ahead of her classmates, but Odalia insisted she work even harder.”

Eda frowned and Lilith knew why. Her sister never wanted to work hard or apply herself. She’d rather go in headfirst and figure it out as she went. The black haired witch was finally starting to understand why she had such a fondness for the human.

“Alright, so an overbearing mother who is clearly pushing the girl too hard.” Eda counted on her finger, Lilith nodded. “Plus, knowing Odalia, she’s probably using the kid to make up for the “failures” of the other two. So what about her father? I don’t ever remember Odalia, little miss perfect, Blight ever actually tolerating anyone for longer then 5 minutes.”

“Alador.” Lilith nodded again. “He went to Hexside with us. He was quiet and pushed himself harder then anyone else, skipping multiple grades and changing his tracks many times, trying a little bit of everything. He was never as gifted as Odalia, or even us really, but he worked hard and studied harder, which is why you, dear sister, probably never noticed him.” 

Eda scrunched up her face. “So, he worked hard and I didn’t. I didn’t need to. Seems like he’s got himself a pretty cushy job and a big ole mansion so I don’t see a problem.”

“Yeah, but while he worked and sacrificed for the life he lives, his wife and those around him just got handed the wealth and power they had. Alador grew up to be a tired and bitter man. He barely made it into the Emperor’s Coven and no one let him forget that. He will always be a nothing compared to his wife. He’s too tired to fight Odalia on most things she decides, but he cannot stand anyone else questioning his authority.”

Eda stared at her sister, the often quiet, soft spoken girl she knew clearly had strong, bitter feelings about the both of them. 

“An excellent pair it sounds like. Terrible for the kids though…” Eda trailed off worriedly.

She started pacing once more, this time not sticking to a line back and forth, but weaving in and out of the kitchen and around the couch. Seeing how deeply the information seemed to bother her sister, Lilith really thought about the Blight children for what must’ve been the first time.

How would the toxicity of their parents affect those kids? Lilith tried desperately to remember how Amity would show up to their usual meetings, chastising herself for not being better with emotions. Did the kid ever show her any warning signs?

Eda stopped pacing behind her. With a loud groan of frustration Eda kicked at the couch, rocking it forward a few inches.

“Do we do something? Can we even do anything? Should we?” Eda questioned irritably to no one in particular. 

“I don’t know…” The raven haired witch answered quietly. 

“I guess we’ll have to have a talk with Luz when she gets home. And that’s another thing! How long has it been since that kid has slept?!” Eda groaned loudly again. “These kids and their unhappy emotions! I miss the days when I didn’t care.”

Lilith turned and looked at her sister. 

“No you don’t. You have always cared Edalyn. And deep down you know it. You just hate the responsibility that comes with admitting that.” The former coven witch spoke honestly.

Eda turned to glare at her. “Yeah, well… you saw what happened the last time I cared about someone. They cursed me to get what _they_ wanted.” She spat out, crossing her arms, eyes burning with sudden rage. 

“No wonder you never thought about what that Blight kid must be going through. You’re just the same as them. Willing to do anything for your own benefit.” She finished bitterly before whipping around and marching up the stairs, heading towards her room.

Lilith was left alone. Her sister’s words stung, but they weren’t untrue. 

“I’m sorry Eda, Amity, I know I have failed you both.” She whispered to herself in the new quiet of the house. 

“I will try to be better. I promise I will try.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Otherwise known as my head cannons for Amity’s parents and siblings. 
> 
> Oh jeez. Dialogue-chunking, my worst enemy. I am so, so sorry guys. I try and avoiding dialogue-chunking as much as possible. I’m not well practiced with it. 
> 
> Anyways, checking in with our favorite dysfunctional family, the reluctant mom and the repentant aunt. THE CLAWTHORNES EVERYONE!
> 
> I wonder what them kids are up to? Guess we’ll find out next chapter, unless we catch up with someone else we haven’t spent much time with first... _hmmmmmmmmm._


	14. A Second Chance

_"Edalyn… is there really no other way back for her?"_

King froze in his advance to scare Lilith from underneath the table. Did he really hear that correctly?

_"I don't know Lilly... I don't know."_

The demon king's eyes widened as silence fell around him. He had heard Luz's story, what happened when he and Lilith got captured, but he also saw Luz's confidence as she stepped onto the platform and saved their lives. 

He abandoned the table entirely and scampered up the stairs. There was research to do. 

***

Eda stomped past Luz’s open door without a second thought, caught up in the many emotions she had surrounding her sister that she was _definitely_ too tired to deal with. However, something in the corner of her eye made her stop her in her tirade to her own room as she doubled back to peak into the girl’s room.

On the floor, sprawled out in the midst of papers and books was the King of Demons himself. She almost continued on her way, but there was a slouch to the little guy’s shoulders that Eda just couldn’t ignore.

“Alright little man, what are we plotting?” She asked, pushing the door open gently and stepping in.

King jumped up in shock, landing with his back arched like a cat. Eda fought a smile. 

“Agh! Doesn’t anyone in this house ever knock?!” He yelped as he reached behind him to smooth down the fur on his back that was now sticking straight up in alarm.

“Why knock when this is my house?” She answered with a grin. “Plus, the door was open. What’s got you so jumpy?”

“It’s uh… it’s nothing!” King squeaked, desperately kicking some papers off to the side.

“King…” Eda’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“What?”

“Alright. Fine. Keep your secrets. Just don’t come running to me when whatever devious scheme you have this time fails.” Eda said nonchalantly as she turned to leave. As she took the first step she found herself stopped, her other leg was wrapped in King’s embrace. He looked up at her with wide, tired eyes. Without thinking, she put a hand on the small demon’s head.

“Wait… Eda. I’m sorry.” King apologized in a small voice, looking at the floor. His arms still clutched tightly to her leg as she gave him a small smile.

“Well you better be. With Luz so wrapped up with the Blight kid, it’s just you and me again. Us misfits, right?”

King gave her a small, weak smile. He unhooked himself from her leg and plopped onto the floor, sitting directly in the middle of all of his notes.

“It’s just, I don’t understand.” He admitted, hesitantly, after a short pause. 

Eda walked herself back into the room and bent down to pick up one of the scattered papers. There was a small drawing of the portal to the human world, and another doodle next to the door of the key used to open it. She sighed heavily as she looked around and saw many similar drawings scattered on the rest of the papers.

“Why?” King asked her, gently holding and looking down at another drawing. Eda walked up behind him to get a closer look as her heart sank deep into her stomach. 

It was a drawing of King with a small scepter and Luz was right beside him wielding a magic staff of her own. The drawings, while childish, looked as if they were ready to come off the page and fight whatever evil stood in their way. Half hidden under King’s thumb was the words, “Fighting Lilith and Belos to save Eda!”

Her eyes felt wet. What was this? Tears? That didn’t seem right. Eda couldn’t fight the pain in her chest as she stared at her friend, sitting there so despondently on the floor. Why would anyone care enough to save her? The proof that someone did carewas right in front of her, but it didn’t mean she could bring herself to believe it. Not only that but-

“Luz sacrificed her way back home. For you… for us. Not knowing if there was a way back.” King finished her thought, speaking up for the both of them. 

Eda felt the knot in the back of her throat, but she knew she had to say something. She had to come up with some reason, some sentence, anything to answer the thundering _why_ in her head. Taking a deep breath, Eda pushed past the tightness in her chest, the dryness of her mouth.

“The kid really is something special. I didn’t know when I took her in… I couldn’t have known… that she would become so attached.” 

King looked over his shoulder and watched as Eda grasped at the words she couldn’t seem to form. He set the drawing down and walked over to her as she lowered herself onto her knees. 

“I should’ve sent her home a long time ago King.” Eda admitted, guilt dripping from her voice as she stared down at the many drawings of the doorway that littered the floor. King’s little paw gently rested itself on her knee, but she barely registered it.

“I just… I grew fond of her. The way she always tried. No matter what she was up against, she tried. You just don’t see that anymore. Now look at where it got her. She tried saving me, nearly getting killed the first time and the second…”

The former wild witch gently reached down to hold one of the drawing’ in her hand. She stared at the door, as if expecting the image to burn away, the light of the eye in the middle to grow dark.

“The second time she tried to save me, she had to sacrifice everything she knew, everything she loved over there. For us.”

She looked over at King and met his teary eyes with her own watery stare. 

“I don’t know why Luz does anything that she does King. All I know is that I have a second chance because of her.” She said shakily, taking the little demon in her arms and holding him tightly to her chest. 

“I’m here with you, because of her, and we’ll figure out what comes next _together_. It’s time we start taking care of that human. Just like she’s been taking care of us.“

King felt Eda begin to shake slightly, and though startled by the sudden embrace, he didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around her as they both were encompassed by silence. 

They both said nothing, because what was there to say? Peering around Eda, King looked around the room they were in. He barely remembered what it used to look like, for as far as he was concerned this might as well have always been Luz’s room. The books she had collected lined the shelves that once held junk. The walls had been plastered with posters and pictures and drawings, each one unique and special to the human who put them up. The room was bright and welcoming, just like the person who occupied it. 

Looking at it all surrounding him, King couldn’t imagine a life without Luz in it. Just like he couldn’t imagine this room without her warmth. 

Yet, there was another, colder feeling lying in his heart as well. He knew Luz was never meant to stay here, and now that she was truly stuck in the Boiling Isles, there was no denying it. 

She had chosen The Owl House.

In the end, between the world she knew and the family she had, she chose to save Eda and King. Two misfits who had always just watched out for themselves. 

The cold feeling grew as King wondered if they truly deserved that level of trust. 

_That level of love._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small update this time. I told you we would be checking in on someone we haven’t heard much from. 
> 
> King is a big part of The Owl House, and while his antics on the show always feel more like comic relief, or a way to introduce new chilling aspects or characters that really give The Boiling Isles character, he is important in his own way. His love for both Eda and Luz is adorable and I just kept wondering as I got further and further into my story just how King would handle Luz’s choice. 
> 
> The answer is, unclear. I mean how is anyone supposed to take a choice like that? Luz, even if she really believed there was another way back to her mother, let her world burn for two people she had just barely gotten to know and love. Two people with sketchy backgrounds and morals that usually involve what is best for them in the moment. I can’t imagine he would be able to process Luz’s sacrifice easily. 
> 
> And as I started thinking about that, and I started writing it out, I realized that Eda probably wouldn’t know how to feel either. For so long, it’s just been her and King. I would imagine that if he didn’t know what to think or feel about Luz’s choice, then neither would Eda. Besides a rush of crushing guilt of course. An emotion I can’t imagine Eda is used to feeling, ever. It was interesting, writing Eda, usually a confident a controlled person, struggling with emotions other then anger or frustration.


	15. Drifting Off

Luz’s fingers curled into Amity’s shirt as the witch went limp in her arms. It was involuntary, a physical yearning to somehow let her green-haired friend know that she wasn’t going anywhere. She could feel Amity’s hitched and panicked breathing slowing, yet the human’s hold didn’t let up. 

Her mind went everywhere at once and Luz had a difficult time concentrating. She knew Amity was too sensible to just ditch her crutches unless she felt it absolutely necessary. So why did she? Why would she hurt herself in such a way and then break down when Luz asked her why? Flashbacks to Amity’s panic when she read her phone earlier that day raced into her head. Her grip tightened further as she fought back the multiple worries and questions.

A calm entered her brain as she focused on her hands.

This was something she could do.

Luz needed to be here, in this moment, because it was in this moment that she had the chance to make something better. Luz clutched to that idea as her head dipped and rested on Amity’s shoulder.

Seconds, or minutes passed. Luz couldn’t keep track. Eventually Amity shifted underneath her.

“Luz?” She asked in a quiet voice.

“Amity?” Luz responded, in almost as quiet of a voice, readying herself for whatever truth Amity was about to tell her.

A moment passed and she felt Amity’s shoulders start to shake gently. Before Luz was able to say anything or even move to hold her closer the witch spoke again.

“My arms are falling asleep.” She said, the smile in her voice unmistakable. 

Luz’s eyes widened instantly and she unlatched her arms from Amity as her friend straightened up. 

“I am so sorry!! I didn’t know how long, or if you even really wanted to be hugged it just felt like the right thing to do and… an-”

Luz was stopped mid-ramble as her eyes rested on Amity’s face, which had transformed into a soft smile. The witch had her hand held up to her mouth and her eyes were closed in soft laughter. 

Luz suddenly became very aware of her heart beat. It thudded loudly in her ears as she stared, completely entranced.

Amity was going to be ok.

The thought caused a ripple effect in her body as she felt her muscles release their previously held tension and she took a deep breath. Amity’s quiet giggles filled Luz’s round ears as she felt a smile creep its way onto her face.

“Are you laughing at me?” She tried asking incredulously, failing about halfway through the question and giving into giggles herself.

“Well, you should’ve seen your face!” Amity shot back. “Or the way you absolutely jumped when I spoke.” 

“Well excuuuusse me for being concerned. You were absolutely dead quiet for awhile there.” Luz defended herself as the two fell into laughter. The sound filled the quiet room with a warmth that enveloped them both.

Eventually the girls fell quiet once more and Luz fell back against the beanbag chair and stared at the ceiling, catching her breath.

“I’m sorry.” Amity said quietly, finally breaking the silence.

Luz lifted her head to stare at her. Amity had her head hanging down as she stared at the floor, her hands bunched up at the end of shirt.

“Hey.” 

Amity looked up. Her eyes seemed watery. 

“It’s ok to feel, you know? Remember when we fixed up Willow’s mind?”

Amity’s eyes widened. Luz watched as horror and shame seemed to fill her friend’s eyes. Realizing her mistake, she sat up rapidly and set a tanned hand on top of the witch’s clenched ones.

“I said I wasn’t there to judge. I meant that Amity. I won’t ever judge you. And whenever something goes wrong I’ll be there. We’ll fix it. Together.” Luz said determinedly. She stared at Amity as amber eyes lifted from the floor to meet her gaze.

A smile crept it way onto the witch’s face.

“You just don’t give up, do you Noceda?” She asked kindly.

“Not on your life, Blight.”

They held each other’s eyes as a blush snuck its way onto Amity’s face. Her hands unfurled from her shirt and she left one under Luz’s hand as she rested the other on top of the small pile that they formed. 

Luz once again became very aware of her heartbeat. 

Amity’s hands were surprisingly warm and her eyes glowed softly. Luz found herself unable to move, unable to look away.

She felt herself blink slowly and she felt just how dry her eyes had become. Reluctantly she unburied her hand as she reached up to rub at her face.

“Well then, if you won’t tell me why you ditched your crutches then we better at least go grab them before somebody decides to steal them.” She concluded, as she swung her legs around to stand up. As she got to her feet, her legs felt numb and her body buzzed she immediately fell back down onto the beanbag with a soft thud.

Luz blinked.

”Well, that was weird.” She said as she kicked her legs in a test and felt them only slightly twitch.

She heard Amity giggle next to her.

“What’s so funny? You’re the one with the bum leg! Mine should work just fine.” Luz asked, a hint of irritation creeping into her voice. Her legs couldn’t just give up. There was still so much to do.

“Well, I’m sure they do, but you seem to forget that your body hasn’t had any sleep for 2 whole days.” Amity giggled. “You’re tired Luz. It’s ok.” She said gently, wrapping her arm around Luz’s as she gently pulled the girl back further into the beanbag.

Luz could barely protest as she felt the exhaustion swiftly overwhelming her.

“But… your crutches. You can’t just keep walking around on that leg.” She argued weakly.

“I’m sure my brother and sister will pick them up for me.”

Luz turned to look at Amity. The witch avoided her questioning stare as she reached over and gently unhooked the cape Eda had made for her. In a fluid motion, Amity slid it up and over Luz as she wrapped it around her like a blanket. Luz felt herself relaxing into Amity chest as the witch held her gently around her shoulder.

“The twins?” Luz asked as she felt her eyes getting heavier. 

She fought the next wave of exhaustion as it flooded her limbs. There was still so much she wanted to ask. So much she wanted to get done.

Amity shushed her gently as she felt Luz fight the sleep that was so close. 

“How about this, if you go to sleep now, I’ll tell you all about it when you wake up.” She looked down at Luz with a patient smile.

“Promise?” A sleepy voice asked.

Amity hesitated. Through bleary eyes Luz watched as her friend’s amber eyes widened. The green haired witch swallowed hard.

“Promise.”

That had to be enough for now as Luz realized she was rapidly losing the fight with her own body. Her eyes grew unbearably heavy as she slowly gave in to the warmth of Amity’s embrace. She let her head fall and through squinted eyes she saw something she hadn’t noticed before. On her chest, where Amity had leaned into her, there was a smeared spot of make-up. Blinking slowly, Luz dragged her tired head up once again to look at Amity. 

The witch was staring straight ahead, her face unreadable. 

As Luz begin to lose consciousness she could’ve sworn she saw a mark that she hadn’t noticed before. 

A bruise, scarring across Amity’s cheek. 

As Luz drifted off, one last thought, one last worry ran through her head.

_It looks like a handprint…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Looks like Luz finally got some sleep..._
> 
> In which we finally catch up with our two favorite kids. I tried to really lean into Luz’s ADHD here. Hopefully it shows. I think this is the first time I wrote from her perspective. Which is an utter shame. I love Luz.
> 
> And I really, really love Luz and Amity’s dynamic.


	16. Pieces

Amity's heart raced as the sound of Luz's soft snores filled the room.

Her mind immediately kicked into its default over thinking mode. Did she cross a line with Luz? It was one thing to hold her last night when she was crying, but it was another, completely different thing to hold her as she fell asleep. Right?

That was something couples did.

Amity's heart skipped several beats and she took a deep breath to try and calm it. 

She chanced a look down at Luz. Her human friend had fallen asleep slouched over leaning against Amity's chest, her head angled upward and her mouth hanging slightly open. 

A peace settled over Amity as she stared down at Luz sleeping so soundly. Good. If anyone deserved to finally get some rest, it was Luz. 

Even if Amity had to cross a line to get her to stop pushing herself and finally settle down and relax.

She stared for a moment longer, taking in just how cute Luz looked before realizing just what she was doing. She was watching Luz sleep.

The witch felt heat rise to her face and it spread to her neck as she tightly closed her eyes.

It was always like this with Luz. One second Amity could be a complete mess, unable to speak or think around her and the next...

The next Amity felt in control. At peace. She didn't even need to think about the next step, she just took it, trusting and knowing Luz would be there. Luz was her safe space. The one person in her life that didn't ever expect her to be anything but herself. 

Amity felt a knot grow in her throat as she realized just how much that meant to her. How much Luz meant to her. She thought about the conversation she had with Luz, seconds before the human had finally closed her eyes and fell asleep.

_”Promise?”_

The question was like a brick, weighing in Amity’s stomach. She wanted to tell Luz. She wanted to tell her everything, all the fear she had surrounding the Emperor. Her parents. How scared she was for the both of them. She desperately wanted to take the safety that Luz promised with her constant warmth and hope. Trust that she would think of a way out for the both of them.

Amity’s hand tightened around Luz’s shoulder.

She knew that Luz would do anything to fix what was broken. Especially when it came to the people she cared about. Whether or not Amity fell into that category, or if she even deserved to be was irrelevant.

She couldn’t risk Luz hurting herself or getting hurt trying to fix Little Miss Perfect’s life.

Amity’s free hand drifted to her face as she held the spot where her mother had hit her. 

_No matter what._

Luz shifted, pausing all of the witch’s thoughts as she held statue still, terrified of the girl waking up. One long, gangly, olive arm reached out and gently curled itself around Amity’s waist. She felt Luz’s face nuzzle further into her chest as the human stilled once more.

The room was unnaturally still. Luz had turned her face completely into Amity and her light snores were almost completely muffled. Amity stared down at her, transfixed. The hand holding her cheek now hesitated above Luz’s head. It acted almost on instinct, an impulse to run her fingers through the soft locks of dark brown hair that now completely covered Luz’s face. The hand clenched itself into a fist as Amity puffed out her cheeks in frustration.

It limply fell to her side as Luz shifted once more, turning slightly and unburying her face and chest.

Amity hardly had time to think as her eyes drifted down to a very obvious blemish on Luz’s shirt. Her eyes widened as she realized in horror what it was. 

She desperately grabbed at her phone tucked away in her pocket and pulled it up to her face. 

There, in the reflection of the screen she saw the faintest mark on her cheek. Tears pricked in the corner of her eyes as dread settled on her shoulders. Had Luz noticed? 

How could she be so stupid?!

There was a hiss behind her as something new entered the reflection on her screen. 

Correction, two something’s appeared. 

“Ah, so this is what you so desperately had to study at the library, huh Mittens?” Emira’s voice teased from behind.

“Well I do believe we figured out the reason our dear little sister was so eager to ditch us this morning.” Edric grinned.

Amity whipped her head around to hiss at them to be quiet, but she was interrupted.

“Mhmm… Amity… what’s wrong?” Luz sleepily mumbled at her side.

Amity’s eyes widened. Her brother and sister raised an eyebrow each as she decidedly ignored them and leaned down to face Luz again.

“Shhhhh… Luuuz. You’re supposed to be getting sleep remember?” She gently whispered.

“Right …mma sleep. I swear…” Luz mumbled, half conscious. The human fell silent once more. A few pained seconds passed as Amity held her breath before she heard the sound of Luz’s gentle snoring resume.

She let out a shaky breath as she turned to glare at the twins. 

“Luz hasn’t slept in 2 whole days. Whatever you guys have to say, you‘d better be quiet about it. _Or else._ ” She hissed.

***

Back at the Owl House, Lilith paced. Her cape billowed back and forth as her mind raced. She had to do _something_ to prove to Eda, no, to prove to herself, that she had changed. That she wasn’t like the Blights, like Belos. 

Eda was right to be concerned and frustrated at the situation their two young protégé’s faced. If the human was concerned about Amity, there was a good reason. She had definitely shown herself to be more knowledgeable about the young witch then Lilith herself. Her strides grew more purposeful as her legs worked in time to her mind.

The raven haired witch then thought of Odalia. She would be appointed the next leader of the Emperor’s Coven now that Lilith had turned traitor. 

_Just like she’s always wanted._ Lilith thought bitterly. She shook her head and refocused.

If Odalia was now second in command that meant more pressure, more late hours. Belos would be left scrambling after the stunt Luz had pulled with the portal. No matter what the Titan whispered to him, last night’s events would’ve set him back weeks, possibly even months. It would be left up to his second in command to begin fixing things. The entire inner circle of the coven was already overworked and stressed as the Day of Unity drew near, now that pressure would be near unbearable.

What would that kind of stress do to someone as tightly wound as Odalia Blight?

Lilith stopped mid-stride. 

The past had shown Lilith that whenever Odalia was pushed, she pushed heavier expectations onto those around her, becoming strict and unyielding. It made her an excellent delegate and leader. 

Lilith’s breath caught as the pieces fell into place. She turned to the door.

Having been at Emperor Belos’s beck and call for the past 30 or so years had taught her a lot about how the man thought. Lilith followed the logic. Eda and her were no longer a threat in his mind. No… the new threat to his rule came from a small human child. One exactly around Amity’s age. One who he knew went to Hexside alongside the young witch. 

The new directive would be passed along to his second in command, and to her up and coming, loyal, daughter. 

Lilith’s black cape flicked behind her as she began to move once more, out the front door of the Owl House and along the path to town.

She was headed to the library. It was time she had a talk with her protégé.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Otherwise known as (and titled in my notebook as) the _Uh-Oh_ Chapter. Honestly a better name for it anyways. You guys should really see all the beta titles for these chapters that I write in as filler when I go to type the next chapter. Such as the lovely, “Whodda thunk the library would be a secondary location?” or “Well... sh*t what do now?”
> 
> You know what I absolutely adore about Luz and Amity’s relationship? The fact that they are so touchy. Normally when I write fluff between two canon characters I really have to try and bend it in ways that make sense. Often sacrificing touch for meaningful looks. Luz has no restrictions whatsoever when it comes to touching and holding the people she feels comfortable around. It’s adorable. Makes for easy fluff. Super easy fluff. Amity has also been shown to on multiple occasions take Luz by the arm and guide her away from danger. Also super adorable. So I don’t have to stretch too far from their characters to get scenes like this, in which Luz cuddles into Amity like a teddy bear. Much to Amity’s gay panic of course.
> 
> **EDIT: Will be a pause in updates. Fun part of working with dogs is sometimes they mangle your thumb and hand just a small bit. I already started on the next chapter so as soon as I can move and use my hand again the update won't be long after.**


	17. Bile-Less Heart

“Jeez Mittens. You’d think you would be a little more grateful to the people bringing your crutches back to you.” Edric whispered, a sly smile playing on his lips.

“I mean it Edric. _Do not_ wake her up.” Amity glared at her brother before flicking her eyes down to glance at Luz. 

“Please…” She whispered.

Edric looked over at his sister, who shrugged as Amity noticed that her siblings both were carrying things in their arms. Emira had a small stack of books, and Edric had her crutches slung over his shoulder. They both stepped fully into the room as the bookcase swung shut behind them both with another hiss.

“Relax sis, we’ve heard what Luz’s been up to. The girl’s got to be exhausted.” Emira said gently, slinking towards the beanbag and setting the books down on Amity’s small desk. She turned towards the pair snuggled up together and her eyes softened. 

“She looks cute when she’s sleeping.” Emira remarked with a grin and dramatically posted herself up against the desk.

Amity felt her face light up.

“So. Fraternizing with the girl who stood up to the Emperor and faced the petrification process? Bold move, Mittens. Almost rebellious. Maybe we are finally rubbing off on ya.” Edric said excitedly from behind her. 

Amity turned her head and watched him lean the crutches up against a nearby shelf and he made his way over to the small group.

“It’s not like that.” Amity said quietly, looking at the ground. She felt two pairs of identical gold eyes staring her down.

“Well we wouldn’t know, now would we? You seem intent on keeping _something_ from us.” Emira answered without missing a beat. 

Amity didn’t speak. Her throat felt dry. She was very aware of Luz snoring softly at her side.

“I guess since you aren’t opening up, we’ll just have to come to some conclusions ourselves huh Em?” Edric grinned, looking at his sister with mischievous intent.

“No! Wai-“

“Oh for sure Ed. Let’s start with these books we found suspiciously placed outside the door. Wanna read for me what they say?” Emira grinned back, talking over Amity. She fanned out the books she had brought in with her and held them up for Ed to see.

“You don’t understa-“

Edric leaned directly over Amity and Luz to get an exaggerated look at the books. He had his thumb and finger held up against his chin in thought.

“Let’s see: Mysteries and Mythos: The Human Conspiracy.” Ed read aloud as Em tossed the book behind her on the desk.

“Oh this one looks fun! Round Ears, Round Earth. And wait…Bile-less Heart? Mittens I think this one might be a novel…” Edric continued, snatching the book he just read out of Emira’s hand and flipping it open. He gave a low whistle. ”And waaaay too inappropriate for your young mind.” He exclaimed with wide eyes. 

Emira dropped the other books behind her and snatched the novel back. She flipped it open and her eyes scanned a few sentences before she threw her head back in laughter. 

“I didn’t pick any of those out!” Amity exclaimed, her whisper becoming louder as her blush deepened.

“Better check the rest of those Em. I think Amity might be browsing in the,” Edric paused dramatically and gave a gasp, “ _’adult reading’_ section.” He finished ominously.

“No! That’s not what happened. Will you two just knock it of-“

“You’re right brother of mine.” Emira nodded totally serious. She flipped around on the desk to analyze the rest of the books. 

“101 Differences Between Us, Hubris of Humans, The Chosen Ones Come with Round Ears, Among Us: Documented Cases of Human’s in the Boiling Isles.” Emira read off methodically, tossing each book she read off behind her for Edric to scramble after and catch. 

“Annnd finally, “A World Away.” Emira finished, setting the last book calmly to the side. She turned around and gave Edric a nod. “All clear. They just look like a bunch of dusty old information bores to me.” 

Edric plopped the haphazard stack of books he had collected next to the desk.

Amity’s face burned in frustration. ”Can I speak now?” She asked coolly, glaring at her sibling as they smirked at each other.

“I guess.” Emira shrugged.

“Firstly. I did not pick out those books. Luz did.”

Edric reached behind his sister and waggled Bile-less Heart up for all of them to see.

“Really Mittens? Blaming the one person in the room who is asleep? That’s kinda low.” He teased. 

Amity inhaled sharply. She was about to snap out a reply when Luz shifted again. The entire room turned to her and dropped dead silent. Amity’s anger faded completely as she felt Luz’s arm tighten its hold around her stomach. The red anger in her face faded in soft pink blush as Luz’s face flipped upwards and amber eyes gazed down on Luz’s soft features. The human’s eyes fluttered for just a moment as her snoring faded into gentle and silent breathing.

Amity’s heart dropped. They must’ve been too loud. She wanted this to be the one place Luz could finally relax and get some sleep. How could she fail Luz in something as simple as that?

The twins blinked. They glanced at each other with a hint of shame in their eyes. 

“Is she… still asleep?” Emira whispered so quietly that Amity had to strain to hear it.

Luz’s mouth opened wide and let out a massive hiccuping snore, causing everyone to jump, before she flipped her face once more into Amity and continued her rhythmic snoring. 

Amity felt a flutter of relief as her nerves calmed. She smiled softly down at the human she had in her arms. 

“Still asleep.” She breathed softly. “You’re lucky.” The young witch added after a short pause, a hint of venom leaking into her voice. 

“Sorry.” The twins echoed sincerely. 

“As I was saying. You don’t know what happened. What Luz actually did when she faced the Emperor. The portal she used to get here, her only way home… she burned it away to escape Belos and free Eda. We came to the library to look up ways she could return to her world.” Amity admitted taking a large breath. She met Edric and Emira’s eyes and gave them both a small smile.

“Luz asked me to meet her here. She must’ve picked out those books while she was waiting. Knowing Luz, I’m sure she didn’t even realize there was an ’Adult Reading’ section in the first place.”

Edric nodded. “That… tracks actually. Still, there’s no need to be so secretive about it. It hurts us when you don’t trust your own siblings.” He said quietly, giving Amity a look like a kicked puppy.

“Oh right. And let you guys endlessly tease me? Or even Luz? No way.”

“That’s not entirely fair. Who said anything about teasing Luz?” Emira spoke up, looking hurt.

“Yeah well, you guys certainly didn’t have a problem with it the day you met her. And…” Amity paused, her voice catching slightly. 

She felt her grip tighten on Luz as she thought back to that night in the Library. The horror she felt seeing her siblings, the two people who she thought she could trust, the only other people who knew just how horrible their parents could be, standing there with massive grins on their faces. Plotting on how they could possibly punish her with her own thoughts and insecurities.

“And… I don’t see why I should trust you. Especially here. In this room. Not after what you tried to do. What you almost made Luz do.” She finished entirely deadpanned. The warm atmosphere of the room dropped as the weight of her statement registered on her siblings. 

They didn’t speak. Edric’s shoulder’s slumped in shame as Emira straightened at the desk, her eyes cast on the floor and her face shadowed. 

“I get it. I’m sorry I got you in trouble with mom and dad. I didn’t mean to… I know you guys always try your best to avoid getting in trouble with them. But you don’t understand what it’s like…” Amity’s voice trembled and broke, “to _always_ be watched. To always be expected to be perfect. To be obedient.”

Amity’s cheek throbbed as she swallowed the knot growing in her throat. She looked down and watched Luz breathe, the steady rise and fall of her chest pulling Amity back to center. She took a deep breath. 

“You wanted to know what my new job was right? It came from Belos himself. He wants me to keep an eye on the human who disrupted his plan. Mom thinks this is my ticket to the Emperor’s Coven.” Amity spoke quietly, her eyes flicking up to meet her sibling’s. 

“You want me to trust you?” She asked, desperation leaking from her voice as it cracked.

“You can’t ever tell them about Luz. You can’t tell them that we’re friends. I don’t know what I’m going to tell mom, what I’m going to tell the Emperor yet, but… I can’t tell them about her… I can’t. I don’t know what they’d do. I don’t know what I’d do if she got hurt.”

Emira lifted a single hand up to stop her, knowing her sister was about to spiral. She met Amity’s amber eyes with a piercing stare of her own.

“I get it. _We_ get it. They won’t hear a peep about her from us. As far as we know, Luz’s just a stranger to us all.”

“Right.” Edric nodded, taking a step forward and putting a hand on top of Amity’s head.

“We’ll back you up. Whatever you need.” He said quietly from above her.

Amity felt a smile creep onto her face and Emira returned it. She looked up at Edric who was looking at her with supportive eyes. 

“Right then. I really need you to _leave_.” The young witch said with a chuckle.

“Luz needs to sleep, and you two are waay to chaotic to hold still and silent enough to let her.” She continued, growing more serious. 

“Fair enough. I guess we’ll have to, ew, read something while we wait. Emira, would you join me in returning this to it’s proper location?” Edric said with a grin, holding up Bile-less Heart. 

“I would love to Edric.” Emira said with a smile. She moved gracefully across the room with him as they tugged on the lever to open the bookshelf. Stepping out among the shelves of the actual library, she turned back to face her sister one last time.

“Oh, and Amity?” Emira prompted, eyes glittering with mischief. “You know you’ll have to tell Luz about the _massive_ crush you have on her eventually.” 

Amity’s heart thudded loudly in her ears as heat once again rushed to her face.

The bookshelf swung shut with a hiss cutting off any response she could’ve possibly had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Titan’s foot. _I am never ever coming up with another book title as long as I live._ I haaateee it. Half of them aren’t even clever. Man I wish I could come up with puns.
> 
> Beta title for this one? “Them Twins Up to It Again...”
> 
> They be fun to write. Also they fascinate me. Firstly, they be the first hint that we get of Luz being bi, which, yes. Hell yes. But their absolute carefree nature about sharing something as personal and devastating as Amity’s diary had me really against these two from their premiere episode. It took a lot of fanmade animations to convince me to like their chaotic ways but I kept always getting stuck on how vicious they were in that first episode. Then I remembered, their parents are awful. I’m sure a punishment that harsh would almost be par for the course in the Blight Household. 
> 
> But enough of my head canon. My thumb really hurts... I probably shouldn’t have typed on it, but I don’t want to lose my stride I’ve had with this either. 
> 
> More shenanigans to come because I refuse to give poor Amity a break.


	18. Blue

Lilith navigated the city with her head down. Along with not wanting to be interrupted, she had no idea if Belos had put a price to her head. He may have let Eda go, assuming she was now harmless in her beast form, but in a night Lilith had gone from being Leader of the Emperor’s Coven to a fugitive in direct defiance of his majesty.

The raven-haired witch sighed, wishing she had brought a cloak. Anything to cover her face and head.

“How did you do it, dear sister?” She mumbled under her breath as she hurried through the market.

_Always on edge. Always one misstep away from being caught?_ Lilith thought miserably to herself as she folded her arms in front of her. Her shoulders felt heavy and her mouth was dry. She felt like curling into a ball, but she pressed on, the library looming in the distance. 

Lilith Clawthorne may have not been used to feeling nervous, but she refused to give in to fear. There was something she needed to do. Something she needed to know. It was almost fitting in a way, that the answers she searched for would be found at a library.

***

Amity huffed silently to herself. Her face felt hot. She closed her eyes and tried to relax into the beanbag chair, feeling the beads shift and move as she leaned back. The young witch calmed herself with a few deep breaths. Despite her earlier frustration, Amity felt as if a weight had been lifted off her chest. 

Her sibling’s may give her plenty of grief, but she knew she could trust them. If she was being truthful, she had forgiven them for the Library incident almost as soon as it had happened. The Blight household had never been lax with punishment after all. It didn’t surprise her as much as it had hurt.

Amity peeled her eyes open and glanced down at Luz. 

This was different though. 

_Luz_ was different. 

This wasn’t just humiliation at stake here, it was a life. Ed and Em had to know just how serious it was. 

Luz’s eyes clenched tightly shut in her sleep and her face twitched. For a split second Amity feared that the girl may have been having a nightmare, but after a few seconds the human’s face fell slack once more. 

Sighing heavily, she glanced up at the desk where Emira had left one of the books that Luz had picked out. Holding her free hand up and out, she lazily drew a circle and levitated the book towards her. 

She brought it to her face to read the cover. A World Apart. 

Looking down her friend once more, she couldn’t help the shiver that ran through her body. 

Amity grabbed the hovering book with her free hand. Carefully flipping it open, she began reading. 

Luz was right.

There had to be some way back for her. Amity would make sure of it. 

***

“Ah, Edric and Emira, may I speak to you two for a moment?”

Edric and Emira froze in their hiding spot behind a short bookshelf. They whipped around in perfect sync, and winced as the books they had been levitating fell to the ground with a heavy thud. Lilith’s eyebrow raised as she glanced over their heads to see a poor library employee sprawled out on the ground, a blanket of books covering almost every inch of his body.

Edric was the first to straighten up and look over the newcomer. His arms crossed as recognition flashed in his eyes. A scowl appeared.

“Oh well look who it is, Em. Looking for another Blight to exploit in your sibling squabbles _Lilith_?” He asked, narrowing his eyes.

Lilith’s eyes widened. She bit back her initial anger at the accusation and took a deep breath. She looked down, unable to meet the boy’s piercing gold eyes. 

“I understand your distaste for me. I am only now realizing how many of my actions have hurt your family. Amity especially. I would like to start making up for it. If you would allow me to of course.” Lilith admitted, chancing a glance up. She watched as the boy’s eyes softened, he started to say something but stopped as Emira stepped forward, distrust masking her face.

“Oh really? Why the sudden change then? A few weeks ago you were content with leaving her alone. I personally liked it better that way.” She spat out, raising an eyebrow.

Lilith met her glare with a straight face. She expected pushback. She knew Amity’s sibling’s were protective. Her amends would have to start early if she wanted to talk to the youngest Blight.

“The reason I’m here, the reason for my ‘sudden’ change is none other then the human I’m sure you have both been acquainted with. Despite all that happened last night, Luz was most concerned with your sister come this morning. I now find myself concerned as well.”

The twins blinked at the mention of Luz. Good. Lilith had their attention.

“You don’t have to believe me. I wouldn’t if I were you, but I have worked with the Emperor long enough to know how he thinks. How he reacts. Amity will be involved in his plan moving forward. I’m almost certain. I would just like to speak to her.” She spoke honestly, watching as the twins faces changed to shock. Their reactions confirmed that her suspicions had been correct.

“I may not have been as attentive to Amity’s feelings as I should have been. Trust me. My sister and the human have made that abundantly clear to me. All I’m asking for is a chance to fix that error.”

Edric and Emira turned to each other. There seemed to be a silent understanding between them. 

They turned to Lilith and nodded.

***

Amity blinked slowly. The words were blurring together as she flipped another page. 

Nothing.

There was still nothing. She had almost finished scanning all of A World Apart and there had been no mention on anything remotely relating to a way into the human world. The thought weighed on her as she turned towards the stack of books left beside her. Would anything in this library contain the information they sought? 

Amity blinked once more as her head dipped. The young witch knew she was getting tired. She could feel her eyes growing heavier. It had been a long night, and the events of this morning already seemed so far away. Setting the book to her side she grabbed her phone. Before the screen lit up Amity caught a glimpse of her reflection. 

Her piercing amber eyes had deep, dark bags under them. They almost glowed in comparison to her naturally pale skin. The screen’s brightness hurt as her phone flicked on and showed her the time. It had been nearly 2 hours since she arrived at the library to meet Luz for the second time. Locking the screen returned her phone to darkness and she stared back at her reflection once more. 

It was still there. The bruise was faint, just barely peaking out past the concealer she had smudged against Luz’s shirt, but it was still there. 

Her finger absentmindedly drew a small circle as she levitated her phone up and moved her hand to her cheek. Working her jaw, she could feel just how sore it was. Closing her eyes, Amity could still feel the sting of her mother’s hand as it whipped across her face.

Opening them up again the young witch tried working what remained of the make-up back into place, concealing the evidence once more. 

When she was satisfied with the result she grabbed her phone out the air and tucked it back into her pocket. She let her head rest against her shoulder. Her eyes rested on Luz’s sleeping form in her lap and she felt her hand tighten around the human’s shoulder. Amity blinked slowly, watching Luz’s chest rise and fall.

Maybe, she could afford a few minutes of shut eye. Having a few moments of rest would ensure that she didn’t miss anything important when she resumed her research.

Amity let that be her comforting thought as she began to drift off.

Seconds, or minutes passed. Amity wasn’t sure. All she knew is that she had heard a gentle hiss come from behind her. Fighting through her grogginess she turned her head to look behind her at whoever was coming into the secret room. 

A tall, imposing figure stood in the doorway and Amity recognized who it was immediately. 

The sleep that clung to her eyes and mind quickly left her as she felt the familiar burn of anger course through her veins.

***

“ _Get. Out_.”

Lilith couldn’t help but take a step back. The sight she had walked in on was not one she expected. Only a couple of feet away from her, two figures were curled up together on a bean bag chair. Amity had turned towards her the second she had stepped into the hidden room and Lilith watched as the witch’s face shifted almost instantly.

Amity had her ears pulled back against her head, her pupils had shrunk and she had a single fang bared in what Lilith could best describe as a snarl. 

“ _Get. Out._ ” Amity growled again. 

The young witch almost looked feral in her anger. Lilith could feel it radiate off of her as she watched Amity clutch to Luz protectively.

Lilith began to regret asking the twins to wait outside as the door hissed shut behind her.

“Look, I know you are upset but I-”

“But nothing!” Amity hissed, interrupting her. “You need to leave. _Now._ I won’t let you hurt Luz any more then you already have.” 

Amity’s face remained in it’s scowl as her eyes grew back to their normal size and her ears peeled away from her head to rest in their normal position. The anger she had expressed a second ago seemed to dim as she looked down to check on Luz.

Lilith finally took note of the human herself who was asleep at Amity’s side. Taking a deep breath she let the idea calm her. Eda would be glad. 

“Please. I do not mean to wake her. I simply want to talk to you Amity.”

Amber eyes bore into her with fiery anger once more. 

“I know what the Emperor expects you to do. What your mother expects you to do.” The former coven leader spoke quickly before Amity had a chance to lash out once more. 

Sudden fear fled across her protégé’s face as Lilith’s words registered past the anger. 

“How could you possibly know tha-“ 

Amity’s question was cut short by a anguished yelp from the human. 2 sets of eyes shot to Luz as they watched her stiffen. The snoring had seized and Luz’s eyes were clenched tightly shut as she began to squirm in Amity’s arms. 

“Luz!” The young witch yelled in alarm. 

Lilith took a step forward, recognizing instantly that something was seriously wrong. 

Amity glanced up to her former mentor in panic as Luz continued her sudden fit. 

Before either of them could say anything or make the next move, Luz stiffened once more, going statue still before her eyes shot open.

Amity watched in horror as Luz stared unblinkingly up at the ceiling, the growing dread building in her stomach as she immediately recognized what was wrong.

Instead of the familiar warm brown eyes she was used to, Luz’s pupils had changed to an unrecognizable, glowing, _blue._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta title for this chapter? _Feral Amity_.
> 
> Firstly, before we address the elephant in the room of this chapter, I want to talk about just how much I need to see a feral protective Amity. I full subscribe to the idea that witches have tiny fangs and that their ears are expressive. I never really had an opportunity to demonstrate it until now though. You can’t tell me that the girl who literally launched herself through a tree to dive in front of a fear monster that was coming after Luz wouldn’t turn absolutely feral to the person who just one night ago nearly impaled the human on spikes. This was also the same witch who beat the hell out of Hooty for just mildly annoying her. Hooty. The creature thing that Lilith couldn’t even touch with a small army of guards.
> 
> Oh boy, no wonder Lilith is scared. 
> 
> Alright. Now for the cliffhanger. I hope you all know that when this idea occurred to me (tonight actually) driving home listening to “Country Roads” that I got the biggest grin and started to cackle.


	19. A Mind in Two

**_"I will know."_ **

_Luz watched as the wooden creature in front of her cracked open to reveal a center full of glowing green liquid. Holding it up, she dripped the concoction directly into her eyes. She felt it burn, almost like acid, and yelped. However her mouth never moved, and she made no sound. Instead she felt herself straighten as if bolstered by the liquid and power that now flowed through her. Cracking her neck, she looked up and got a view of the room she was in. The throne room stretched out in front her, empty and hollow, the only sound was her own labored breathing and the loud thumping of the heart that beat above her._

_***_

“What did you do to her?!” Amity cried out desperately, painfully tearing her eyes off of Luz’s unmoving form. The glow from her eyes shadowed Lilith’s face who was now standing above both girls. 

Amity clung tighter to Luz who lay across her lap. 

Lilith leaned in closer, ignoring Amity’s emotional outburst. 

“I was not the cause of this…” She muttered as she examined Luz’s face. Her eyes registered no movement, and the girl was so still she seemed almost dead. 

“Luz? Can you hear us? Can you speak to us?” Lilith questioned as she waved a hand in front of Luz’s face. 

Amity’s chest tightened as silence filled the room surrounding the question. Luz didn’t answer, didn’t even move an inch. She swallowed and looked up at her former mentor. 

The look on her face erased the anger remaining in her bones, it erased the confusion. 

It only left fear. 

Even Lilith Clawthorne, who always kept her cool, who always had a some sort of plan, seemed at a complete loss. Fear and concern flooded emerald eyes as they locked with Amity’s own helpless stare. 

“Can’t you do anything?! Cast a spell and figure out what’s wrong?” Amity pleaded. 

“I can’t! I have no magic left! It’s all gone!” Lilith spat out. Her shoulders slumped. 

“I can’t help her.” 

_***_

_Luz felt herself stand up, no… not quite stand. It was like she had put herself together. She glided across the corridor, the effects of whatever liquid that had been poured into her eyes still coursing through her._

_Luz blinked and suddenly she was down below the elegant corridors of the castle, where stone and large pipes seemed to blend together to form walls and hallways. Her head turned and suddenly she was facing a large construct. Luz gasped, but again her mouth made no noise as her body approached the stairs at the base._

_Looming in front of her was an enormous and elegant circle, with what looked to be large manufacturered wings hanging off each side. Almost directly below the wings, below the base of the construct itself there appeared to be two green orbs connected to metal rods._

_Luz’s heart jumped in her chest as she climbed the stairs to the center of the entire design. There, mismatched and unfinished, and more then slightly scorched, stood a tall, menacing door. A door that Luz could never forget. It’s large yellow eye was dimmed, but there was no mistaking it._

_This was the portal home._

_“Emperor Belos, is everything alright?” A voice inquired from behind her._

_A pause. A hand was brought up to her face and Luz felt herself fading away. The echos of a familiar voice haunted her as she was seemingly ripped from the vision._

_“I am fine, Kiki. It seems my mind has been in two lately. It should be all fixed now however.”_

_***_

Amity stared at Luz. Her heart felt heavy and her chest was tight. It had been several minutes since the human had last moved. The witch’s mind was blank, the yelp of pain Luz had emitted echoed around in the nothingness that surrounded the room. 

Her face looked eerily at peace. It was almost as if the girl was merely asleep. 

_Asleep with eyes wide open._

“Luz?” Amity’s voice cracked at a volume barely above a whisper. 

_”Please…”_ She pleaded weakly. 

  


There was no response. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehehe.
> 
> I can’t just let y’all get away from a cliffhanger that easily, but I am a fair and loving person so I’ll let you have some answers. 
> 
> They come with a price though. ;)
> 
> _I’ll see y’all next update._


	20. The Help

_Luz?”_

A voice splintered through the darkness, jarring Luz out of the peace she found herself in.

 _”Please…”_

It echoed in the endless space surrounding her. The voice familiar and yet the pain dripping from it was not. 

Luz concentrated. She tried to remember where she had been before the vision. 

A smile flashed brightly into her mind, covered slightly by a pale hand with black painted fingernails. A laugh. 

Amity. 

_“Shhh… Luz. You’re supposed to be asleep remember?”_

***

Amity had long since closed her eyes. They burned with the sting of fresh tears as Luz remained a silent statue in her lap. Lilith had left just a short while ago, saying something about getting help, but Amity had barely heard her. 

Now she was left alone. Without Luz's soft snores to calm her, Amity felt a hollow chill spread through her bones. She felt her hands curl tightly around Luz. 

A gasp broke the suffocating silence.

Amity felt something shift on her lap. Amber eyes shot open to witness Luz shudder slightly and begin to slowly lift a single hand to cover her face. Unblinking eyes finally closed, killing the blue light that had illuminated the room previously. 

Amity found she couldn't speak, and merely watched on as the hand slid away from Luz's face and the girl sat up slowly. 

Now face to face, Luz blinked her eyes open once more. Amber eyes met familiar soft brown ones as Amity's breath caught in her throat. 

"Whoa..." Luz breathed. She blinked a few more times as Amity stared, afraid each time those warm brown eyes closed that they would open to become cold and blue once more.

They never did. 

Luz was back.

***

"Well that was definitely not a normal dream." Luz commented, raising a hand to emphasize her point. Her face scrunched in concentration as she attempted to piece together what had just happened. She flicked her eyes up and met Amity's stare. 

The contact broke her concentration entirely. Luz could tell immediately that something was wrong. Amity's face seemed strained and her eyes were watery.

"Oh no. What happened? Did I say something in my sleep again?" She questioned, suddenly panicked. 

Amity didn't answer. The panic was quickly replaced with worry.

"Amity? Are you o-" Luz's question was left unfinished as she was cut off by a sudden pressure that encompassed her entire body. In a flash Amity had wrapped her in a tight hug. 

Luz stiffened. Her arms were pinned at her sides as Amity buried her head into her shoulders.

"Ok. Now I know I've done something wrong. Amity Blight doesn't just hug someone unless things get reeeaaal bad."

She felt Amity shake slightly.

"And I mean like... _really_ bad. Like it took until I had a mental breakdown in the forest, in the middle of the night for you to finally hug me." Luz continued in a playful tone. 

Amity snorted. 

"Luz?" She asked. 

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

Luz felt herself smile. There she was. After a moment she felt Amity's grip grow loose and the witch sat back and stared at Luz with a small smile. 

"Ahhh. There's the Blight I know and love. Do you wanna tell me what that was all about?" 

Amity blinked, the smile slipping from her face. For a split second Luz feared she had said the wrong thing. Had she made Amity uncomfortable?

"You... don't know?" Amity asked worriedly, earning only a confused look from her friend. The way those amber eyes were filled with concern told Luz that it wasn't about anything she had said. 

"Luz, you were pretty much paralyzed for a good couple of minutes, but your eyes were wide open. They were glowing a creepy blue and you wouldn't respond when I called your name. You just couldn't seem to wake up..." Amity revealed quietly, looking pointedly down at her hands as they fidgeted. 

"Well I seem to be ok now at least. Right?" Luz gently poked Amity to get the girl to look at her again. When she looked up, Luz smiled at her supportively.

"All I know is I was having a weird dream, and the last thing I remembered was you saying something about how I was supposed to be asleep and-" Luz paused as Amity's reveal caught up to her. 

"Wait. Did you just say my eyes were glowing blue? Like, magical glowing?" 

"Uh... yes? It was freaky. Like you weren't yourself."

Luz looked down at her hands. Not herself…

The portal. The eye goop. 

_The voice._

Luz's eyes widened as she stood up suddenly.

"Ohh... that's probably not good." She moaned as she brought her hands up to her face. 

"Or it might be. I don't know." She countered herself, bringing her hands back down as she began to pace. 

"What do you mean? What's not good?" Amity asked tentatively, raising an eyebrow.

"But wait, if it is what I think it is, then..." Luz continued, as if not hearing Amity. She stopped her movement suddenly as her eyes widened. 

"The portal. It's... still intact. Or at least it kinda is. Or it will be? I'm not sure." 

Luz fixed Amity with a bright eyed stare as her hopes climbed. 

"The portal still exists. I can still go home!" 

Amity's face was filled with confusion and Luz thought she saw a flicker of sadness cross her friends eyes. She shook her head as the flicker faded. It must've been her imagination. 

"Luz, wait. Slow down. What are you even talking about?!" The witch exclaimed, shifting around so she was sitting up straight. 

Luz plopped down on the ground in front the bean bag and grabbed onto her ankles as she faced Amity. 

"I saw through his eyes Amity! Emperor Belos, we must've mind melded or something!" Luz made a face. "Oh... on second thought. Gross. But also useful!"

A look of horror crossed Amity's face. 

"You saw through his eyes?" 

"Yeah! Remember how I was telling you he had those really creepy blue eyes? They glowed in his mask. That must've been what you saw my eyes turn into!" 

"Please don't sound so excited when you say that..."

"I can keep an eye on him now! Using his own eyes against him." Luz said with a wide grin. 

Amity stared at her, processing the information. 

"So. You said you could see through his eyes. Was he aware that you were... you know... there?"

Luz paused, thinking on it. She remembered the last part of her dream.

"I don't know. He told his assistant that he felt like his mind was in two or something dramatic like that and when he brought his hand to his face I was gone." 

Luz frowned trying to recall what happened next. She shivered slightly, unease creeping under her skin as she realized there was darkness after she had left Belos.

"Then it was all just nothing. I don't know for how long."

Amity looked thoughtful. Luz felt her heart stutter a bit as a realization hit her. 

Amity had always taken what she said seriously. A smile returned to Luz face. Where so many others dismissed her ideas and suggestions and even her thoughts as ridiculous, Amity didn't. She always weighed what Luz said and believed her. Believed in her. Ever since the beginning. Luz realized just how grateful she was that the witch was here with her now.

"Ok. So you had a dream in which you saw through Belos's eyes, and you saw that he has the portal and is rebuilding it. Did I get that right?" Amity summarized looking to her friend for reassurance.

Luz nodded.

"Alright, but how? I don’t understand why you have this sudden link to him." She pondered.

The question was not directed at Luz specifically, but it loomed above both of their heads. The human looked down at her ankles and went back through the past two nights.

"I don't know. He only levitated me around during our fight. Sending me into a wall or two. Nothing too magical."

Amity flinched and her thoughtful look turned into a scowl.

"But I don't remember him casting any other spells while we fought."

**_I will know..._ **

The voice echoed again in her head. This time clearer. Luz remembered hearing it echo before her dream started as well.

"Except... there was that time, right before Lilith appeared tha-" 

The secret bookshelf door opened again with a hiss causing Luz to jump and stop mid sentence. 

Both girls looked up to see Lilith, Edric and Emira all step into the room.

***

"Mittens? Is everything alright? Lilith said there was something wrong with Luz." Emira questioned as Edric ran forward to start examining Luz. 

He went right to work testing to see if the human was still functioning. He methodically lifted both her arms up and moved them around a little, before grabbing her head and turning it side to side.

Luz felt herself blush as she was overwhelmed. She shot a quick, panicked look to Amity before Emira came over and blocked Luz's view entirely. 

"Arms still work. Ears are still round. Em is there something else I'm missing?" Edric questioned, looking up at his sister.

Luz watched as Emira thought on it. 

"Legs?" She suggested with a shrug. 

"Right." 

Luz felt herself hoisted up into the air, Edric had grabbed her from under both arms and raised her to a standing position before carefully removing his hands and taking a step back. 

"So legs are working. Good." Edric remarked, seemingly satisfied.

" _This_ is the help you ran to get?!" Luz heard Amity ask. 

"I don't know if you have noticed yet, but me and the human both are probably some of the most wanted fugitives in the Isles right now. I didn't have many options." Lilith growled back to answer. The twins parted ways and Luz could see that Amity was glaring down Lilith as she stood in the doorway.

The raven-haired witch took a step forward but stopped as Amity's crutches, glowing with a soft pink light, flew past her, narrowly missing her face. They floated over to Amity who released the magic, grabbed them and stood up, hobbling over next to Luz to shoo her siblings away.

"As you can see, Luz is better now. So you can go." Amity told the trio with a straight face. Edric and Emira tried to slide in next to Amity, but she held up her hand. 

"All of you." She chided, glaring at the twins.

They rolled their eyes and slunk back over to Lilith and the door. 

"Whatever you say Mittens." Ed drawled as Emira smirked. They pulled the lever and stepped out into the library with a wave. Emira blew Luz a kiss as the door began to close.

“Take care of yourself~”

Luz’s eyes widened as she felt heat rise to her cheeks. Dealing with the twins never got any easier, she thought as she turned her eyes to Lilith. 

"Wait. I do believe we need to discuss what just happen-" 

"And we are." Luz said suddenly, finally speaking up to interrupt Lilith as she spoke.

"I think I can speak for both us when I say we would rather not have you here right now." She finished rather quietly, looking down at the floor. 

"But Luz, whatever happened to you, I may know a thing or two on how to help." Lilith said gently. Luz could hear the hurt in her voice. 

"You probably do honestly. I just... I don't think I can trust you. Not yet anyways. " Luz answered, her voice barely above a whisper.

She looked to Amity, who had her eyes on the floor and felt her confidence returning. 

She looked up and stared hard at Lilith’s face and watched as it somehow grew paler. The older witch met Luz's eyes and nodded. 

"I... understand. I will respect your wishes and leave you two be." She said politely.

Luz gave a small, grateful smile and watched as Lilith's eyes widened in surprise. After a moment, the former coven witch returned her smile and turned to Amity. 

"I would still like to speak to you, Amity. Later of course and only if you’re comfortable with it. We can further discuss what I had brought up to you earlier at that time.” She said

Luz turned to Amity and watched as her friend's eyes drained of their previous anger as she thought on what Lilith had said to her. Luz blinked. What had she missed while she was asleep? She fought back the urge to wrap her arms protectively around Amity and instead just took a small step forward. Ready to step in. 

"I…” Amity started, pausing as she glanced at Luz. 

“That would be fine. Yes.” She agreed, her face hardening. 

A flicker of surprise passed on Lilith'a face before the witch's face split into a smile. 

"Thank you. We can talk about the when later as well.” Lilith turned and pressed on the lever to release the bookshelf and as it hissed open she turned to face the girls once more. Luz watched as the witch struggled to find the right thing to say.

“I know you two are both incredibly capable young witches in your own right, but if you ever do need help… I will be there.” She said before turning sharply and walking out into the library, following after the twins.

The shelf swung shut once more as Amity let out a heavy sigh. She turned to Luz with a supportive smile. 

“You should call Willow and Gus.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh... what?! 20 chapters?! This was supposed to end at 8! Fall Leaves is where this was originally supposed to end. Huge warning for a text dump of chapter notes... I’m so sorry.
> 
> This is turning out to be less of a slice of life post episode wrap up and more of a feature length adventure story that’s going to eventually butt heads with canon. Oh who am I kidding, it already is butting with canon. Oh titan. I hope you guys can put up with me for even more chapters to come. The support you guys have left on this story means everything to me. It’s letting my imagination run wild and reminding me just how much I enjoy writing. 
> 
> For example, this chapter was one of my favorites to write. I’m not exactly thrilled with the way I wrapped it up, but oh my gosh my brain hurts. It’s jumping at the chance to keep pushing the plot forward. And there’s probably something to do with the 4 hours of sleep I’ve gotten in the last 48 hours...
> 
> One last thing before I go. Since we are finally getting to spend some more time with Luz, I get to finally address how much I love her relationship with Amity. I can’t imagine how much she appreciates the fact that she has someone in her life that takes her seriously. Even in Covention, when Luz challenged her to about the most anime witch’s duel in history for something as silly as cupcake honor, Amity didn’t hesitate. Didn’t laugh. She took Luz completely seriously, seeing her as an equal, even when she _knew_ Luz had no powers to challenge her. It’s shown before that Luz didn’t have that back in the human world. No one listened to her. No one took her seriously. It’s no wonder Luz became fixated on her.


	21. Just Girl Talk

Willow sat in front of Amity and Luz, her face entirely blank except for one single eyebrow that looked about ready to escape her face. 

“Ok. So. Luz can see through Belos’s eyes but not on command. We don’t know if Belos can see through Luz’s eyes. We also don’t know if he knows about the link. Or if he knows we know. ”

“Correct-o Willow-o.” Luz nodded with a wide smile.

Only Luz could find a reason to smile at a time like this. Amity sighed as she watched her cheerfully catch Willow up on what had just happened. Willow sat there and listened patiently, her face never changing. 

“And are you sure you saw the portal?” Willow asked.

“Yeah. Big, weird, yellow eye in the center and everything.” 

Willow nodded and then closed her eyes. Amity admired the way her childhood friend could always keep her cool. Even when faced with the most ridiculous things. Her chest tightened as she remembered how that wasn’t always the case. 

“ _After all… out of sight, out of mind._ ” 

Amity stared at Willow, remembering the burning image of her anger. Of course nothing phased the plant witch. 

She grew up never letting it. 

Amity clutched tightly to her arms which she had wrapped around herself.

“Amity what do you think? You’re the smartest kid in our grade.” Willow asked, turning to face the witch.

Amity jumped, not expecting to be addressed. Both Luz and Willow’s eyes were on her. She dropped her arms back to her side.

“Oh um,” Amity paused to think for a second, trying to refocus her thoughts back to the matter at hand. ”Luz you were about to say something earlier. Before Lilith came back with the twins.”

“OH! Right!” Luz turned to Willow. 

“When we were in the treasury, right before Lilith came in, do you remember any spooky voices? Like echoey type voices? The kind that make the entire room lose it’s color just a bit?” 

“Um. I remember feeling like we weren’t alone. Like there was someone suddenly watching us, but Luz, I didn’t hear any voices.” Willow said, concern and confusion filling her voice. 

Amity’s stomach twisted. She watched as Luz blinked in surprise. The light cheerful shine in her eyes faded just a bit as worry clouded them. 

“Well. Maybe Gus heard something!” She said quickly, tugging on Willow’s sleeve. “You‘ve got to text him. Ask him if he remembers hearing anything!”

“Ok. Ok. I’m on it.” Willow replied, gently shaking her off. 

Luz stood up and began pacing, unable to sit still. Amity watched as Willow pulled out her phone and began typing furiously. They found out earlier when Luz tried calling him that the young illusionist had been grounded due to last night’s events and his interruption of his father’s broadcast. He had suggested that he could try and trick his dad with an illusion but Amity was against it. 

_”Don’t risk upsetting him and getting into more trouble._ ” 

It took awhile, and Gus and Luz both seemed put out, but Amity was able to convince them in the end. It was for the best that everyone stay on their parent’s good side for now. After all, chances were they were all about to get into a lot more trouble soon enough.

They had agreed to keep him in the loop through texts so that his father wouldn’t overhear any plans they made.

Amity glanced up to watch Luz pace and then looked back down at her foot, which she had suspended on the pile of human books they had hoarded earlier that day. She hated how useless she felt.

“I can’t just be hearing voices. That is like, the number one sign of something super bad. Everyone knows that.” Luz muttered as she stopped and put her hands on Willow’s shoulders, leaning against them as she looked over at the phone.

The extra weight caused Willow to shift in the beanbag chair and Luz lost her balance and toppled over Willow and back onto the floor, landing in front of the bean bag chair with a thump.

“Ok. I deserved that. Should’ve known better.” Luz admitted from the pile that she landed in. Immediately she flopped back over so she was sitting. She looked up and behind her to glance at Amity. 

“Will you still trust me when I turn all crazy like Malingale did when he was taken over by the voices in book 4?”

“Malingale’s just a big drama king. He should’ve known he could trust Azura when she said she could heal him instead of running off to stay ’mysterious’.” 

Luz spun around to face Amity fully, looking at her with wide curious eyes. “But wait, I thought you liked Malingale? You drew yourself holding onto him after all.”

Amity felt herself blush in embarrassment. She quickly glanced up at Willow who was staring at the pair with a raised eyebrow. Meeting Amity’s eyes she gave a knowing smile and looked down at the phone again, pretending she wasn’t listening. 

“That was different!” Amity defended herself. 

Luz raised an eyebrow.

“Oh? How?” She questioned.

Amity felt her face burning. Were they really going to have this conversation here? Now? She glanced back up at Willow who noticed the movement and looked up once again. She smirked as she rolled her hand, gesturing for Amity to continue.

Taking a deep breath she brought herself to look at Luz. 

“I don’t like him. I just… I liked that scene. The way his girlfriend went against her parents, just to be with him. I admired that.” Amity admitted, having to break the eye contact rather quickly as Luz’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. 

“I don’t know, seemed pretty romantic to me. You sure you don’t have a crush on him?” Luz teased. 

Willow snorted into her phone. Luz turned a questioning look towards her as Amity’s eyes narrowed to a glare. 

“Aren’t you supposed to be texting Gus?” The green haired witch growled dangerously. 

Willow was unfazed. “Oh right. I guess I can continue waiting for him to respond. Don’t mind me. Just over here. Waiting for Gus. But hey, here’s a thought, Amity why don’t you explain to Luz why you wouldn’t have a crush on _Mr._ Mysterious?”

Amity’s eyes widened in alarm. She couldn’t be serious.

Luz whipped her head dramatically to look at Amity, her hands clapping to the side of her face as she looked expectantly up at her friend.

Amity’s nostrils flared in irritation. Of course she wouldn’t catch a break today. 

Now without Luz staring at her, Willow’s eyes softened. She shooed her hand at Amity, again encouraging her to continue, her knowing smile back, this time warmer and supportive. 

Amity remembered she needed to breathe and let out a sigh, feeling her irritation slide away. In it’s place a new emotion entered. Fear. 

Amity gulped. She definitely couldn’t meet Luz’s eyes now. 

“I drew us together because I wished I could be like his girlfriend. Having the courage to go against her parents. Even though they were strict.“ Amity admitted honestly. 

She could feel Luz’s eyes burning into her.

“Ammmiiity. Don’t dodge the question. I want to know, why wouldn’t you have a crush on him? He’s not a totally bad dude. I always figured he was probably pretty handsome, you know, in an edgy way.” Luz admitted. 

Amity’s heart sank. Right. Handsome. Luz thought he might look handsome.

“I wouldn’t have a crush on him because… I don’t like guys… in _that_ way.” Amity mumbled, suddenly losing her heart to defend herself.

Luz gasped and Amity closed her eyes and braced for it.

“Amity, you like girls?!” She said incredulously. 

Amity kept her eyes tightly closed. She didn’t want to look at Luz’s face. She simply nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

“Wow. I did NOT expect that.” Luz breathed, still in shock.

Taking a deep breath, Amity forced herself to open her eyes and look at Luz. 

She wasn’t expecting what she saw. Luz’s eyes were wide and sparkling. She looked… giddy? Out of the corner of her eye, Amity saw Willow smiling warmly. 

Luz whipped her head back and forth from Willow to Amity. ”You knew, didn’t you!” She asked Willow after a second. 

“Of course I did. We were childhood friends after all.” 

“Best friends…” Amity confirmed, trying to relax into the memory. “Willow actually figured it out before I did.”

“Oh. Ok. I just _have_ to know that story now! That must’ve been so cute!”

Willow laughed. “Maybe another time, Luz. That’s Amity’s story to tell.”

Amber eyes met wide brown ones. Luz’s smile slowly slipped from her face and Amity’s heart sunk with it. 

“You didn’t want to tell me… did you?” Luz asked quietly. It was obvious she was hurt.

“I’m sorry Luz. I didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.” Amity answered quietly. It wasn’t much of an answer. It was only half of the real truth, bu there was no way Willow would be getting that out of her today.

After all, Luz had said she thought Malingale would be handsome. Amity knew she never stood much of a chance anyways.

“That’s ridiculous. You’re my friend Amity.” Luz gave Amity a small smile and Amity couldn’t help but return it. 

She could never resist Luz’s smiles.

“Besides, if you had just asked me I would’ve told you I like girls too. I swing both ways.” 

Amity’s world stopped. Her heart was about the only thing she could hear as it thumped loudly in her ears. 

“Hey, hey Willow. Look at Amity’s face. You could say I have taken her… _**bi**_ surprise.”

Amity snorted as Willow clapped her hand to her face. 

“Luz that was terrible.”

“Aw, don’t say that. You can’t leave me all _**bi**_ myself!”

Willow groaned and Amity snickered. Luz carefully watched Amity’s face, encouraged by the laughter she had managed to draw out of her reserved friend.

“I can’t help it, it’s just in my _**bi**_ -ology. Come on Amity, help me out here. Tell me how _**Bi**_ eautiful I look.” Luz smirked at her.

Amity looked at the girl in front of her, a huge smirk threatened to split her face in two. Her warm brown eyes sparkling with mirth. Her giggles echoed in Amity’s ears.

“You are beautiful.” The words were out of Amity’s mouth without a moment of hesitation. 

The room seemed to freeze.

Amity realized with horror only a second too late what she had said. Luz had stopped her giggling and was looking at Amity with wide eyes.

Titan’s foot. Luz looked so surprised, Amity suddenly wanted to curl up and disappear.

“Really?” Luz asked in a quiet voice. She sounded, so unconfident. It broke apart Amity’s dread almost instantly. Could she really not see it?

“Well. Duh. One would have to blind not to see that.” She said, rolling her eyes. Amity offered Luz a warm smile. When Luz returned the words with a small smile of her own, Amity’s panic returned. 

_She had just told her crush that she was beautiful._

“I mean, aren’t I right Willow?!” The green-haired witch’s voice cracked as it raised dramatically in pitch. She looked up at Willow with pleading eyes. 

Willow met her stare and rolled her eyes.

“Of course you’re beautiful Luz. You really think we are just going to sit here and let you think otherwise?” She said, reaching over and putting a comforting hand on Luz’s back.

Amity silently thanked her for the support as she looked back down at Luz who had the beginnings of a small blush on her face. 

Before anyone could say anything more Willow’s phone chimed.

“Uh… guys. Gus is out front.” She announced after a second.

“What?” Amity asked, tearing her eyes away from Luz.

“He says he managed to convince his dad to let him go to the library for ‘research’. He’s wondering where we are.”

Luz jumped to her feet. “That’s my boy! Imma go get him!” She said excitedly, sprinting towards the door. 

“Luz wait!” Amity yelled after her as she smoothly opened the door and slipped out. 

“Be careful…” Amity continued half-heartedly as the door hissed closed before Luz heard her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo. Willow is a cinnamon roll, but she is a force of chaotic good and I refuse to be told otherwise.
> 
> Sorry this chapter definitely drifted off of the answers I know you guys are all waiting for but also... cute? Super cute? I offer cute in exchange because that’s all I got. I’ve got a lot of loose ends that I don’t quite feel like tying up just yet. We’ve got a good chunk of story left to go after all.
> 
> Real chapter talk though? It always kinda bothered me that while Amity is confirmed to be lesbian, she did have that embarrassing drawing of Malingale the Mysterious Sooth-Sayer. And while I head canon that Malingale could be non-binary, (honestly, just seems about appropriate), I have a feeling Malingale was thrown in there to buy Dana time to really let that reveal happen to execs and the audience. So he ends up being a guy here, because now the poor dude is my plot convenience to use as I deem fit. 
> 
> Poor Amity. Like I said, I refuse to give her a break and apparently Willow won’t give her one either. 
> 
> Sorry it took me awhile to update. I uh, was having some serious problems sleeping there for awhile. Like... only 5 hours in 3 days, and none of it was in a row kind of sleep issues. So while this story kept on trucking in my head, I couldn’t actually... think... or write. The good news is the break gave me time to write down some basic premises of the next couple of chapters so they should come out fairly frequently now.


	22. What The Vines Tell

Amity’s face fell into her hands with a loud smack. 

“Willow.” She mumbled.

“Hmm?”

“I told her she was beautiful.” 

“Yup. You did do that.”

Amity groaned and brought her face back up slowly, her hands dragging down her eyes and cheeks as she rubbed it. 

Her eyes adjusted to the light again and she looked at Willow who was staring down at her phone, seemingly unbothered by everything that just happened. 

“Did you know she was bi when you started that whole thing? Or did you just want to see me suffer?”

Willow sighed, her head never moving as she looked up at Amity over her glasses.

“I had a suspicion about Luz, but honestly that whole conversation was much less painful then watching you try and fail at hiding your feelings for her.” The plant witch answered plainly.

Amity’s eyes narrowed.

“I also didn’t start the Mr. Mysterious conversation. That was all you and Luz.” Willow added with a warm smile. 

“You didn’t help.” 

“I wouldn’t say that.” Willow said as she put her phone away and crossed her arms, giving Amity her full attention. 

“You found out she likes girls too. So that’s one less possibility to worry about.”

Amity sighed, rolling her eyes and staring away from her childhood friend.

“That doesn’t mean I was ready to tell her.”

“Amity, if you waited until you were ready we would all be long dead.”

Amity’s eyes widened. She snapped her head back to glare at Willow.

“You don’t know that.” The green-haired witch growled.

Willow met her temper with a level stare as she raised an eyebrow. Her unflinching gaze almost made Amity back down, but the witch clung onto the irritation that had been boiling under the surface all day. She had been teased all day. By her sibling’s and now by Willow. It was too much. Why couldn’t her feeling’s just be personal?

“You wouldn’t know that Willow.” Amity spat out bitterly. “Me and you haven’t been friends for a long time.”

Willow’s unrelenting stare broke as she detected the small break in Amity’s voice. Her eyes grew soft again as Amity drew suddenly quiet.

“So just… don’t act like you know me. Ok?” Amity finished softly, looking down to avoid Willow’s gaze. It just didn’t feel right to lash out of her. It never had. Guilt twisted in her stomach once more. 

The room was quiet as Willow chose not to respond. Amity squeezed her eyes shut, trying to regain her composure. The throbbing of her cheek brought her back to reality. Amity opened her eyes and glanced down at her hands, realizing she that she had probably irritated the bruise when she went to rub her face. 

It took her awhile, her amber eyes tired from the long day, but she eventually noticed that the palm of one of her hands seemed lighter then the other.

Amity’s heart stopped. She had forgotten. 

The last of the concealer that she had used to re-cover the bruise had come off completely onto her hand.

Without thinking, she glanced up to Willow in a panic, trying to read her face, to see if the witch had noticed anything. Praying that their earlier squabble was enough of a distraction.

Willow’s eyes were wide as Amity’s face finally lifted fully into the light of the room. A moment passed between the girls before Willow’s eyes narrowed, her green pupils turning icy in a second.

Amity’s hand shot up to her face, trying to cover the mark. A vine snapped out of nowhere and wrapped around her wrist. 

“Amity.” Willow said coolly. 

“Willow. Let me go.” Amity replied calmly, fighting against the vine to keep her hand pressed near her cheek. She was already losing the battle when more vines crept up her arm. They wrestled her hand completely away from her face and forced her arm straight out to her side. Amity watched as Willow stood up from the beanbag, her expression an almost scary calm while her eyes burned with rage.

“Who?” Willow growled.

“Willow, it’s nothing. I just tripped, I swear!” 

Willow took a step forward. ”If that was the case, you wouldn’t hide it. _And it wouldn’t be in the shape of a hand!_ ” 

Amity swallowed hard. She had only seen Willow this angry a couple of times. 

“Fine! You’re right. I didn’t trip. You already know what it is! What more do you need me to say?!” She exclaimed desperately, staring up at Willow with wide eyes. The vines tugged at her arm as she tried to pull it to her face again.

“ _Who?!_ ” Willow repeated, her voice a dangerous growl. 

Amity kept her mouth shut. _It didn’t matter who, there was nothing anyone could do._

“Amity, who hit you?!” Willow repeated, taking another step forward.

_It didn’t matter._

She clenched her eyes shut.

Amity felt Willow looming over her, waiting. She felt the blood thumping in her ears as panic swiftly overwhelmed her. She couldn’t say it. Her mouth was dry.

“AMITY! WHO HIT YOU?!” Willow boomed again from above her. 

The witch felt the entire room close in around her. Her hands clenched into fists as the pressure she felt in her brain increased. Her mind was actively fighting against the knowledge, trying desperately to keep it behind the walls she had built up. 

Her chest tightened as the panic grew.

_It. Didn’t. Matter._

“There’s no point in defending them Amity! They hurt you! Can’t you see?! Tell me who did this!” Willow’s voice dripped with rage and desperation. 

Amity felt a crack in her mind. 

Willow shifted in front of her, and suddenly there was a supportive hand on her shoulder.

The crack widened, her mental walls quickly crumbling.

“I can help! You just have to trust me!”

“ **YOU CAN’T!** ” Amity yelled as the pressure became unbearable. 

The walls shattered completely as her voice dropped to a whisper. 

“It was my mother. She… she hit me this morning after she caught me lying to her.” Amity confessed.

Amity felt the vines slowly untangle from her arms. She kept her eyes closed as her hand flew back to her face to cup the bruise. Her other hand went to her hair as she clenched it in a fist, trying to calm her shaking. It wasn’t Willow that had scared her so. It was putting words to the horrible events of this morning. It was the fact that now that it was out in the open, it became so much more real.

Tears streamed down past the hand on her cheek.

Willow wrapped her tightly into a hug as Amity broke down completely. She didn’t know how long she sat there, but eventually her shaking stopped and she released the grip on her hair and blinked open her eyes. Willow took a step back to allow her space, and Amity saw that her eyes were no longer icy, and instead were filled with compassion and worry. 

Amity thought it was almost somehow worse. 

“Amity…” Willow started.

Amity fixed a hard stare on her childhood friend, causing Willow to pause. 

_“You can’t tell Luz.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I debated putting a warning on this chapter. This is definitely trauma coming out.
> 
> Short update, because it needs to be in order for me to continue on to the next scene without the impact of this one affecting it’s tone. 
> 
> I imagine Willow is highly protective of her friends, to the point of becoming scary. Out of our little squad, I also figure Willow would be the only one able to forcibly break down Amity’s walls. Despite what Amity may think here, Willow knows her quite well. She always has.


	23. The Next Step

Amity was shaking. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so jittery. She watched with wide eyes as Willow sat down next to her on the floor.

"How long?" The plant witch asked plainly. 

"Willow I mean it. You can't tell Luz." 

"That's not what I asked. How long has it been going on?" Willow expertly dodged what Amity had said. 

Amity sighed, it wasn’t a flat out no. She would have to try and bring it up later.

"It just happened this morning. My mom, she’s stressed about Belos’s new expectations. Without Lilith, and with what Luz did… well, let’s just say she wasn’t in the best mood to be lied to.” Amity admitted without much struggle. 

It had always been easy to talk to Willow.

"That doesn’t make it ok."

"You think I don't know that?!" Amity snapped back at her. 

The room filled back with silence as Willow sat there staring at the wall off to Amity's side.

"Sorry." Amity added half-heartedly. 

"Have you told anyone?" Willow asked gently, turning to look at Amity with a soft expression. 

“No.”

“Amity,” Willow started. 

“Don’t.” Amity said softly. “Willow. I’ve already gone through all the possibilities. There’s no one I _can_ tell. There’s nothing anyone can do. I tell some guards? It will get back to my parents and somehow things get worse. I can’t go anywhere they won’t track me so it’s not like I can run away. And…” Amity drifted off, staring hard at a spot on the floor.

“Anyone else I tell would just be hurt by the information. Unable to do anything. And if they tried… I don’t want to know what my parents might do. To me, or them.” 

Amity’s shoulders fell and she felt herself slouch over. She had thought it all over, before the walls were built, in the panic and pain she felt right after. It wasn’t easy putting it into words. She somehow felt even worse then she did before. The truth was now in the open. 

There was really no way out… was there?

“Luz deserves to know Amity. She cares about you.” Willow spoke calmly, but the suggestion jarred Amity immediately out of her depression.

“No!” Amity cried out desperately. “Please, Willow, you know as well as I do that Luz would try and get involved. My mom already thinks of her as a ‘creature’, my parents wouldn’t have any problems with hurting her to get what they want!”

Willow sighed heavily. Her hands curled into small fists.

“She’ll figure it out eventually.” She said, her tone guarded.

“With my luck? Yeah, she probably will." Amity groaned. "I’ll just have to be extra careful not to upset my parents any more then necessary. I obviously can’t keep wearing make-up forever, since I seem to rub it off on just about everything…” 

“I don’t know why you wouldn’t just use illusion magic. Not, that I’m ok with hiding it in the first place.” Willow added quickly.

”I can’t.” Amity admitted plainly. ”My brother and sister have tried to teach me, but I’ve never been good with the showier parts of magic.”

“So I take it they must not know either.”

“No. And before you say it, I already know they care about me. It doesn’t mean they can just start going against our parents because of something that happened one time.” 

Willow stood up suddenly, and Amity braced herself, flinching as her childhood friend turned around suddenly and reached towards her. 

Willow quickly retracted her hand. Her expression softened.

“I’m sorry. Can… can I see it please?” Willow asked gently. 

“Gus has been teaching me a few things over the years, I can try to see what I can do.” She added with a small, warm smile. 

Amity relaxed. She returned Willow’s smile and nodded.

***

“Jeez! I will never understand people’s need to knock over bookcases during a chase. It’s just waste of property.” Gus said in a rush, dashing into the secret room in a huff. Luz skidded in shortly after and whipped around to close the lever.

“It’s also incredibly dangerous! I mean that’s like, over 100 pounds of books and wood falling down on top of you! Can’t imagine what it must feel like to be smushed under one of those.” Luz added as she leaned her body weight against the shelf to make it close faster. Once it had hissed fully shut, the pair met each other’s eyes with massive grins.

After a quick second they burst out in laughter, splitting the silence that had fallen in the room. 

Willow and Amity glanced at each other, confused. Amity eyes immediately wandered to Luz, taking in her ruffled clothing and hair. Concern gripped at her throat.

“What took you guys so long?” Willow asked before Amity had a chance to.

“Oh, nothing.” Luz turned to her friends with a sly smile. 

“Just you know, beating up some poor defenseless, 'uneducated idiots'." She finished with a flourish to Gus as he waved his arms in a wide circle, casting an illusion. 

Two guards appeared in the room, as well as a large bookcase. While Gus concentrated on the illusion, Luz jumped behind the bookcase and gave it a dramatic shove. It wobbled slightly before toppling over to crash on the two alarmed guards. The second it connected with their bodies everything disappeared with a bright flash to reveal Gus, grinning ear to ear.

Luz had disappeared only to reappear, right beside Amity, her arm snaking around the witch's shoulders. Leaning her head against Amity’s own Luz waved her free hand in a wide arc in front of them.

“Imagine this, you’re outside the library, waiting for your buddy to find you, when you see two familiar looking jerks once again making fun of libraries.” She explained dramatically. 

Luz crouched down slightly, moving her head to rest against Amity’s shoulder as she continued. Her olive hand formed into a fist that she then raised up to the ceiling.

“You, being the righteous hearted individual you are, remember the words of your dear friend Amity when she said: ’Maybe later.’ after you suggested roughing them up the first time.” 

The fist dropped and Luz tilted her head to stare up at Amity with large brown eyes and a wide grin. Amity’s heart skipped a beat. Luz's face was so close. Was she even aware of how close their faces were? The witch forced her mind to go blank as she blinked slowly, refocusing on what Luz was saying. 

“And what would you know, it just so happened to be later.” 

Amity raised an eyebrow, ignoring the rapid fluttering in her chest. “Chaos.” She said plainly, calling Luz by the same nickname she had used earlier. "Is any part of the library safe from you?"

Luz blinked. "You are.” She said softly. 

Amity blushed, she tried and failed to ignore the way Luz's eyes sparkled just a bit more then usual as she said that. Amity cleared her throat and looked away suddenly, extremely worried about what she might do or say if Luz kept staring at her like that. 

“Well it wasn't just Luz causing a ruckus. She did have help from yours truly!" Gus interrupted. 

Luz peeled herself off of Amity and slid in next to Gus. She wrapped an arm around the boy and grinned again.

"They chased us into the library and around a couple of shelves before Luz had the idea to lose them under a bookcase!" Gus continued excitedly. 

"I wouldn't have been able to even think of doing it if you hadn't distracted them with those illusions." Luz added supportively. 

"Did they see you come in here?" Willow asked, seemingly amused. 

"Nope! The librarians put them to work rebuilding the shelf and putting away all the books that had fallen. We slipped in here as soon as we knew it was safe." Gus explained for them.

Willow nodded. "Well. That would explain why you guys took so long. But now that we're all here,"

"We need to discuss what happened to Luz." Amity finished for Willow. 

Luz's face fell for just a second, before she grew serious. “Right. Gus, you may want to take a seat.”

***

Luz found herself staring at the floor as Amity and Gus discussed possible spells that could’ve caused the voice she had heard in the treasury. It was quickly apparent that neither Gus or Willow had heard Belos that night. Luz knew it had to have been him. The echo that still occupied her head was too familiar. She shivered. 

It was not only that. The room itself had changed when she had heard him. The colors were muted, the edges of her vision, grayed. Her friends hadn’t noticed anything like that either. Something had twisted in her gut the moment she saw Amity look on in horror as she told them all what she had heard.

_**“I will know…”** _

Amity had looked like she had seen a ghost, and not a cute one at that. Her shock made Luz realize that perhaps this thing that had just happened, the link as Amity liked to say, could be something much more serious then Luz was prepared to deal with. 

Luz’s eyes flitted up to glance at her green-haired friend. Amity was deep in discussion about possible Oracle connections and most of the things that she was saying were going straight over Luz’s head. There was something nagging in her mind as she looked on though. Something about Amity. Luz’s head swam trying to recall what she was so sure she was missing. Her thoughts were swiftly interrupted by Willow laying a hand on her shoulder.

Luz nearly jumped out of her skin.

“Whoa. Everything alright?” Willow asked her with a supportive smile.

“Uh… yeah.” Luz made herself blink a couple of times and the dreadful feeling that she was missing something faded. She shook her head and turned to Willow with a smile.

“Just spacing I guess. I have no idea what they’re saying. Is all of that,” Luz gestured exaggeratedly at Gus and Willow, “covered in a class I haven’t taken or what? 

Willow laughed. “No. Those two are just overachievers when it comes to studying. Even upperclassman can’t keep up with them sometimes.”

Luz turned to look at Amity with wide eyes. 

“Cool.” She breathed. 

“Are you worried?” Willow asked, her voice much more serious then it had been before.

“Worried? About what?” Luz questioned, her focus still mostly taken up by Amity’s face as the witch was deep in thought.

“Oh I don’t know, about Belos perhaps? Or is something else taking up all of your attention?” Willow teased.

Luz felt herself turn red. She realized she had been staring and turned back to Willow sheepishly. 

“Right… Belos. Belos. BELos. Losbel…. OH! The link. Right… that.” 

Willow raised an eyebrow. _Signature Willow_ , Luz thought with a smile. 

She let herself think about the creepy Emperor once again. On one hand, she had seen the portal, and knew now that the Emperor had plans to rebuild it. Which meant he intended to use it. That was something they couldn’t have known before. 

On the other hand, Amity was right. There was something deep in Luz’s gut that told her hearing voices and having this link to such an overwhelmingly bad dude was a terrible thing. She felt the dread creeping along her back, as she remembered Amity’s panicked eyes when Luz had finally woken up. 

The witch had told her that she was near paralyzed the entire time she was seeing through his eyes. Luz clenched her hands. She hated feeling _that_ powerless. The thought of being able to do nothing, chilled her to the bones.

_**”I will know…”** _

Luz groaned inwardly. Titan, that echo was getting obnoxious. 

“I’m not too concerned.” Luz lied, giving Willow a small smile.

Willow frowned at her. 

“Really! This can be useful! If I can see through his eyes, we can get a better idea of what he’s going to do next. Besides, this?” Luz tapped at her brain. “This is all mine. He wouldn’t want to be a part of it anyways.” She laughed. 

Out of the corner of her eye she realized Amity and Gus were staring at them.

“Alright. Well we have some theories over here if anyone wants to hear them.” Gus announced. Luz copied Willow and raised her eyebrow as she spun on the ground and faced the two scholars. 

“Whatcha got?”

“Well, we think…” Amity started slowly. “We think that when you heard Belos he had cast some sort of spell on you. Something to see where you were. How he knew you were in the treasury and how he was able to cast it without a clear target is something we can’t quite figure out though.”

Gus closed his eyes and nodded, completely serious. “We also don’t think Belos intended to establish this ‘link’ between you. The ability you had to see through his eyes is more then likely an unintended side effect, which means he probably doesn’t know exactly what happened.”

“Yet.” Amity warned. 

Luz head swirled. A side effect? Could magic even have side effects? Would her glyphs be able to leave anything like that someday?

“Does that mean you think the link will fade eventually?” Willow inquired.

Amity looked at Gus who shrugged.

“We don’t know.” 

The room fell into a quiet lull. Luz swallowed. Something didn’t feel right about all of her friends discussing something that was happening to her this seriously. Amity was the first to notice her distress. Meeting her amber eyes, Luz suddenly felt herself smiling.

“Well, what does it matter anyways?” She said suddenly. 

Amity’s eyes widened.

Luz looked over at each of her friends in turn. From Willow, to Gus, to Amity. 

“I think it’s obvious what we need to do next.” Luz said with a confident grin. She felt Willow and Gus’s questioning eyes on her, but she fixed her gaze on Amity. The girl who she had shared multiple adventures with. Amity’s eyes were clear with understanding.

“We need to steal the portal.” The green-haired witch declared with a heavy sigh, knowing exactly what Luz had planned.

“Exactly.” Luz grinned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah. Love me some Luz. Guys I’m so excited to be writing her more often. Starting with a pair that’s got to be just pure shenanigans whenever they’re together. The dream team of mischief. Luz and Gus. If any of you were wondering why it seemed Amity and Willow had plenty of time to cope with trauma in the last chapter, this is why. Because I imagine any time Luz and Gus are alone together there is no grounding to Luz’s ideas. It’s just pure support backed up by Gus.
> 
> Also. I know I kinda wrote over it, mostly because it was coming from Amity’s perspective and gay panic, but “You are.” is an entirely awkward and Luz thing to say to a question like “What is safe from chaos in a library?” Heartfelt and adorable? Yes. Does it make sense? Only to those two.
> 
> One day I’ll start tying together the threads I keep leaving so open ended and then hinting at. 
> 
> Today will not be that day.


	24. The Phone Call

“But don’t worry! We don’t have to do anything tonight! It’s already been a long enough day.” Luz continued, her grin fading as she realized just how tired she was.

She watched as her friends visibly relaxed. All except Amity, who had her hands crossed over her chest, her face unreadable.

"You already know you have our support Luz. We can come up with some strategies for infiltration tomorrow." Gus said, standing up. 

Willow nodded and stood up as well, offering a hand to help Luz up. 

"After school of course." She added on to Gus's point. 

"Oh right! School! Learning's still a thing." Luz grinned sheepishly. "I guess we really should all head back home. It is getting late."

Luz watched over Willow's shoulders as Amity's eyes grew wide once more. Swallowing, the witch circled her hand and began levitating her crutches towards her, finally swinging her leg off of the stack of books. Luz stepped around Willow and intercepted, grabbing the crutches out of the air. 

"Here. Let me help." She said with a smile, walking over to the witch. Luz hated seeing Amity in the cast. Being unable to move or run. Guilt twisted at her stomach and it wasn't a feeling Luz was used to. 

"Luz it's ok. I can stand up." Amity said, rolling her eyes and grabbing for her crutches. 

Luz held them up and away from her. "Nuh uh. You hurt your foot shoving me out of the way. I'm going to help you out in whatever way I can."

"Luz..." Amity growled softly as she reached for her crutches. 

Luz held them farther away. 

"Alright well, me and Gus are leaving. Unless you two want to join us or anything." Willow said casually over her shoulder as the pair pulled the lever open and stepped out of the secret room, giggling amongst themselves.

Luz glanced at them, about to say something when she felt the crutches pulled out from under her arms. Turning around quickly she saw Amity grinning at her as the witch stood up and maneuvered her prize under her arms.

"I win." Amity smirked, leaning in awfully close to Luz before slinking out the door after her friends.

Luz stood there frozen, a small blush forming on her cheeks. With a sharp inhale from her nose, Luz's brain finally caught up with what Amity had said.

"Hey! Wait! That's not fair!" Luz yelled after her, sprinting through the doorway seconds before it swung shut. 

...

Luz caught up to Amity who was waiting with raised eyebrows along with Willow and Gus just a section over. Luz smiled widely, forgetting about the crutch incident almost immediately. She had never had this before, a group to wait for her. Friends to walk with. To laugh with. To scheme with. Her heart full, Luz fell in line with the green-haired witch who walked quietly behind Willow and Gus as they made their way out of the library together. 

They walked in silence, Gus and Willow chatting about the next day’s classes ahead of them. Luz thought about the events of the day, and how impossible they all seemed. Everyday in the Boiling Isles was one adventure after another, but something about this felt different. Luz would classify the last couple of nights almost like a season finale of a show. She had a showdown with the big bad and almost lost everything. The pieces were still scattered though, and not everything was solved. 

Also, Luz still had to go home eventually. Her stomach twisted once again as she realized she was supposed to be returning from “camp” very soon. 

Her heart fell. The thought of saying goodbye to her life here, to Willow and Gus, the first real friends she ever had made made her feel sick. She glanced up at Amity.

Oh cramity.

There was still so much Luz wanted to learn about Amity. Still so much she wanted to include the witch in. It wasn’t just Azura that Luz wanted to share with her, it was quickly becoming everything. Every new glyph that she learned, every new little detail she learned about Boiling Isles, the jokes and puns she came up with King that always were able to crack a smile out of her sour lemon drop. It was one thing to share them with Willow and Gus, and she loved the support and love that came out of her friends, but with Amity it was different. Luz couldn’t explain why she wanted to be the one that could make Amity Blight, little miss perfect, smile. Or the way she felt when Amity listened to her as if no one else mattered.

It was confusing and exhilarating all at the same time.

Luz felt a soft jab at her side. 

“Chaos.” Amity used her nickname once again, tilting her head to her side. ”Look.” Amity whispered at her side. 

Luz snapped out her thoughts and looked in the direction Amity had gestured. 

There, on two cushions sitting side by side were the guards they had ran into earlier. They were almost touching heads as they shared a book between the both of them. Both Luz and Amity paused and watched as they shifted slightly and revealed the title of the book, The Good Witch Azura.

Luz looked on and she felt her heart grow. Azura had brought her here, it had strengthened her bond with Amity, it had given her the confidence to be herself, even when no else seemed to want her to be. 

All the irritation in her heart disappeared. She was glad those two had found Azura. Luz hoped it would bring them as much joy as it had brought her.

She looked over at Amity with a warm smile and caught the witch looking at her with wide eyes.

“How do you always manage to do it?” The witch asked her, so quietly that Luz wondered if she had even heard her at all. 

“Not me.” Luz smiled. “It’s Azura. I’m starting to think she’s more magical then even the Isles.”

Amity glanced back at the guards. Luz thought she heard the witch whisper something to herself under her breath. _“It’s not just Azura who’s magical.”_

Luz wrapped her arm around Amity. 

“We should leave them be.” 

Amity nodded and together they caught up to Willow and Gus who turned to them with questioning stares.

***

Amity had been escorted home by her sibling’s, one arm each wrapped around her protectively. At first she had protested, especially when they smothered her near Luz, but she didn’t have the heart to stay mad. They talked all the way home, about how long it would be until their parents wouldn’t be so stressed. Finals were coming up at Hexside and Amity knew the twins grades weren’t the best. She made them promise to go home and study rather then goof off. 

The youngest Blight now found herself in her room, alone. Only her reflection kept her company as she stared at herself from her bed. The illusion magic that Willow had cast began to fade slowly, revealing the full bruise to Amity for the first time that day. It was an angry reddish purple and the shape was undeniably in the shape of her mother’s hand. Amity felt sick just looking at it. 

She glanced down at her phone and pulled up Willow’s contact, hesitating for a moment before clicking into the text box. As she went to type her phone began to ring, startling her to the point of nearly dropping it.

She glanced down and noticed the call was from Luz. She swiped at it quickly and answered.

“Luz?”

“Amity!” Luz replied cheerfully. There was a rumbling noise in the background of Luz’s call.

“AND HOOTY!” 

“NO! Not Hooty!” Luz’s voice replied angrily, and the sounds of a struggle ensued before the phone went deathly quiet.

“Luz?” Amity asked uncertainly. There was a pause and the witch felt her stomach turn uncomfortably.

“You still there?” Luz’s voice came after a second. 

“Yes!” Amity responded quickly.

“Good. Sorry about that. Hooty, well, you know how Hooty is. I had to drop you for a moment there while I summoned some ice to… _freeze_ him out.” 

Despite only being a voice, Amity could feel the grin behind the pun. She laughed.

“Oh come on Luz, you could say you really, _stretched_ for that one.” Amity snickered.

She heard Luz gasp on the other end.

“OHHH! We did it folks! We finally have a pun out of THE Amity Blight!”

“Oh no… I seem to be losing connection Luz, looks like I’m going to have to let you g-“

“No! Wait. I’ll behave! I promise. I uh… I need to talk to you.”

Amity’s heart fluttered.

“Eda’s telling me I need to go to bed, something about how she wouldn’t tolerate any disrespect to sleep in her house. Which, wouldn’t be such a bad thing… my nap did get interrupted after all.” Luz laughed nervously.

“It’s just that… Lilith wants her phone back for the night. I convinced Eda to give me my one phone call, and I wanted to call you.”

Amity blinked, staring off into her room. 

“Me?” She questioned.

“Yeah. I wanted to make sure you were ok. I know things aren’t going the best at home Amity. You also promised me earlier that you would tell me about why you ran from your siblings without your crutches. We got a little side-tracked, but I didn’t forget.”

Amity wanted to disappear. Of course Luz was worried about her. She remembered the promise she made and closed her eyes tightly, regretting it.

“You want me to tell you now?” The witch asked. 

Amity heard shifting on Luz’s end of the phone. “Well… yeah. If that’s ok? Eda won’t be timing me, and… I’m not exactly ready to go to bed yet.”

Amity barely caught the hint of apprehension in Luz’s voice. Her hands clenched, knowing Luz must be nervous about possibly seeing through Belos’s eyes again. 

“Well I did make a promise.” 

Amity began to tell her friend the half truths that she had practiced. That her parents were stressed. About how when she went home her mother cornered her and gave her a new assignment. One she wasn’t too thrilled about. Amity told her how she had ran from her sibling’s because they were assigned to watch her, and she had just felt too crowded. Luz was obviously concerned, and asked a couple of questions here and there, but she never directly asked what the assignment was that had shaken her up so badly. The witch knew it wasn’t because Luz wasn’t curious. 

There were just some thing’s Amity wasn’t able to tell her.

It felt comforting. Talking to Luz about at least some of the things that had happened. It felt more freeing then talking to Willow had earlier. There wasn’t the same sort of sickening dread that surrounded her when she had admitted to the truths earlier. They were just facts now. Obstacles that the day had put in her way that Amity knew she could overcome. 

Obstacles that she _had_ to overcome.

She held her cheek, grateful for Luz’s voice.

“I’m sorry Amity…” Luz said after a pause.

“For what exactly?”

“I wish your parents saw the person I see. It’s their loss, but it doesn’t make it any better.” Luz admitted softly.

Amity’s eyes felt watery. 

“I’ll be ok. I am a Blight after all.” Amity admitted, not letting any emotion leak into her voice as she reassured Luz.

“Gross. Can’t you just be like, an Amity? And that’s it? Who needs a last name anyways?”

“Well, without a last name, the entire school may start to call one by their species, Ms. Luz the Human.” Amity smirked. She heard Luz laugh lightly on the other end of the phone.

“You have no idea how devastated Gus was to find out that wasn’t my actual name.”

Amity laughed. “I can imagine.”

In the background of Luz’s call there was a muffled voice calling out.

“I’m almost done! Un momento. I’ll be back inside in a minute!” Luz called back. 

”Sorry Amity, I should probably get going. Hey, can you text Gus and Willow real quick and make sure they know not to message me with any plans regarding… you know… the portal? I don’t want Lilith to find out.“

“Will do.” Amity replied dutifully, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her heart as she realized she would have to say goodbye to Luz.

“Thanks again for today. You didn’t have to stay with me all day. I kinda feel bad.”

“Don’t.” Amity replied quickly. “It’s not like I could do much else.” _Not that I wanted to do anything else._ “Besides, someone had to make sure you held still long enough to finally get some sleep.”

Luz laughed. “I suppose that’s true…”

There was a pause. 

“You should go in. Eda’s going to get concerned.” Amity said after awhile.

Luz sighed. ”I know. She’s honestly starting to sound like my mom.” Amity didn’t miss the way her voice cracked as she spoke about her mom. The witch didn’t know what to say, so she kept quiet.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?” Luz asked quietly.

“Just let me know when and I’ll be there.”

“Ok.”

“Goodnight, Chaos.” Amity said with a smile. She couldn’t see Luz’s face, but she pictured the soft smile that Luz had in her voice as she replied.

“Goodnight Amity.”

***

There was a resounding quiet to her room after she had clicked the phone call off. Amity blinked in the silence. She glanced down at her phone, it’s screen reverting back to what she had been doing before Luz had called her.

Willow’s name glared back at her. She didn’t hesitate this time as she clicked into the text box.

_\- Luz had to give the phone back to Lilith tonight. Don’t message her about the portal or the link._

_\- Ok. Have you told Gus yet?_

_\- No. Not yet._

  
_\- Don’t worry, I can let him know. How’s your face?_

  
_\- The illusion’s completely gone, and it doesn’t look pretty. Is there any chance we can meet up before school so you can reapply it?_  


_\- Meet me by our old tree in front of the Grudgeby field tomorrow morning and I’ll do what I can._

__  
_\- Got it. I’ll see you then. Thank you Willow._

Amity locked her phone, feeling her heart race. She knew exactly what tree Willow had meant. In their childhood, whenever Willow would feel uncomfortable about gym class, Amity told her to hide behind a certain large tree. That way, during class Amity would simply make sure no one would go near it so no one would be the wiser.

She was surprised Willow still held onto that memory as well. 

Her phone buzzed, and she looked at it quickly. Expecting it to be Willow, Amity was shocked when Luz’s name popped up on the screen once more.

_This is Lilith. I was hoping to arrange a time for us to meet._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter because, holy titan we are finally leaving the library. Got to start some new threads up to follow as our lovely kids part ways and prepare for tomorrow. 
> 
> For now let’s learn a bit more about Luz why don’t we? Let’s say for instance, maybe how she’s feeling. Oh... it’s a bit confused. She’s wondering why she gets so focused on Amity. It’s definitely a mystery Luz. No explanation could possibly work. 
> 
> I like to think that everyone is worthy of some redemption. Sometimes you just need a good knock to the head to make you stop and take a look, in a book... READING RAINBOW~
> 
> Also guess who looked up thingies to make the texting part of my story more coherent? It’s ya girl. Polar. It... didn’t go so well the first time. Making text to the right is the easy part. Making the text stay italicized? Not so much. I think I broke the html... there were so... many... brackets... 
> 
> I am also going to try my hand and giving Luz some more Spanish lines. It felt wrong keeping that part of her out of my story entirely. Like... very wrong. I am using google translate for now, and am mostly going to be sticking with and borrowing lines Luz has already said in the show to limit even that, but please, and I mean really, PLEASE. If something seems awkward or robotic, leave a suggestion for how to fix it up and I’ll get it changed right away.


	25. A Squealing Pig

Lilith sighed, glancing again at her phone. The message was still pulled up.  
_  
\- If you really want to prove that you’ve changed, you’ll watch Luz tonight._

She put the phone down and glanced back up into the room. Her eyes weren’t the best in the dark, but she could see Luz curled tightly into a ball, snoring lightly. Her mind wandered to earlier when Luz had come bursting through the door, full of energy. 

***

“Eda! I’m home! I had such a great day!” Luz burst into the Owl House, smacking Hooty against the wall as she slammed through the door. 

“Ow! Hoot!”

Luz winced as she realized what she did, before carefully closing the door. She whipped around and faced Lilith who was sitting on the living room couch, studying a bunch of Luz’s spare glyphs. The wide grin the human had been wearing quickly slipped off of her face. 

“Lilith.” She acknowledged. Her brown eyes widened as she glanced down at the table. “What are you doing?! Are those my glyphs?” 

Lilith sat back as the girl rushed by her, shoveling the sheets of paper into her hands and pockets. 

“You still haven’t even learned Light yet! You can’t just skip ahead in the lessons! That’s how we end up with a frosty King!” Luz exclaimed, waving a couple of identical glyphs in front of her.

“Ah, kid. You’re back. Good. Maybe now you can explain just why Lily here told me that you haven’t slept in 2 days.” Eda said, dramatically revealing herself from the kitchen, King posted up on her shoulders. 

Luz looked sheepishly down at the ground. “Well, uh… it’s been a crazy few days.”

“Luz you know how much sleep means to me.” Eda pleaded, looking hurt. “If I haven’t yet passed the importance of a good night, or day of sleep even, then… have I failed you as a mentor?”

The wild witch looked up at King with large eyes. “And here I thought we may have finally been getting through to her.”

King tsked from atop Eda’s shoulder before scrambling down her long arms and onto the table. He pointed a single tiny claw at Luz. “You are no friend of the Owl House, you… you, non-sleeper!” He cried out.

Luz reached forward and scooped the little demon into his arms and coddled him. “Oh stop it with the dramatics you two. I did take a nap for a bit today. You can even ask eck, Lilith, over there.” 

3 sets of eyes turned onto the raven-haired witch who straightened at the attention. Flicking her eyes at Luz’s face she saw that the human’s eyes had become wide and her expression seemed strained. Lilith raised an eyebrow in concern. 

“Right Lilith? Amity told me that you stopped by to check in with her and I was fast asleep. Nothing strange happening at all. Just a nap.” Luz emphasized slowly, her eyes nearly leaping out of her skull as she stretched them towards Lilith.

Lilith’s mouth opened in a silent ‘oh’ as she understood what Luz was trying to hint at.

“Uh… the human,”

“Luz.” Eda growled.

“Yes. Luz, was asleep when I stopped by the library earlier. Just as she said she was. I don’t know for how long however. You’ll be happy to hear that I was quickly chased out of the room by my former protégé, who insisted I stay away from her friend.” Lilith said, rolling her eyes and glancing at Eda, hoping she bought the half truth. 

Eda beamed. “I knew there was something I liked about that girl.” 

Lilith stole a glance at Luz as the human stepped forward and handed King back to Eda. Luz noticed her eyes and gave her a small, grateful smile. 

Lilith’s eyes widened. The smile, although small, was warm and the witch could tell it was genuine. 

It was not something she expected out of the girl she had nearly killed just a day ago.

“See? Even Lilith can vouch for me. Now if you’ll excuse me, I will now be going upstairs to get some real sleep. Just like you taught me.” Luz winked at Eda, turning to head up the stairs.

“Just a moment, Luz.” Lilith interrupted her. 

Luz froze, her back still turned away from Lilith.

“What?”

“If you are going to bed, may I have my phone back for the night? I would like to follow up on things I had been discussing earlier.” She continued, pushing past the icy tone that Luz had replied to her with.

Luz whipped around, her eyes wide. Understanding flashed within them and Lilith could see the girl struggle with the idea of protecting her friend.

“If I recall correctly, the person I am speaking of did in fact agree to talk to me, Luz. So I would not be bothering them.” Lilith reminded her, her tone stern and stubborn.

Eda glanced between the both of them, before looking questionably up to King, who merely shrugged his shoulders at the bizarre interaction. The wild haired witch watched as Luz began to flap her mouth, open and closed without being able to form the words she wanted to. Eda’s mind connected the dots.

_This was about the Blight kid._

“You know, perhaps it would be best to give Lily her phone back for the night Luz.” She interjected thoughtfully.

“What?! Eda!” Luz turned to her.

“Relax kid, I’ll make sure she gives it back to you. If you are going to sleep, like you say you are, then it shouldn’t hurt letting Lily borrow it for just the night.”

Lilith turned to Eda with a questioning glance and saw understanding in her sisters eyes as she turned and winked at her while Luz spun between the two sisters.

“Alright. I guess that’s fair. Especially since the person you are speaking of did agree. But I swear Lilith if you do an-“

“Relax Luz. I only want to talk.” Lilith cut her off as she flashed the human a smile she hoped would feel comforting. 

Luz merely scowled.

“Eda, can I at least have my one call?” Luz asked her, ignoring Lilith entirely.

“What do I look like, the cops? You insult me kid. Only one call though. I will not put up with this putting off sleep thing any longer then that.” Eda chided as Luz whooped and ran out the front door, slamming Hooty closed on the way out. 

Lilith looked back at her sister who watched the human run off with a small smile. 

“Thank you sister.”

“If that’s the Blight kid you are planning to speak to, you’d best be careful. You mess this up and that’s it. You‘d have lost the both of them. And if that happens, I won’t happen to care enough to take your side.” Eda warned as she swept back to the kitchen without even a glance in her sister’s direction.

***

The warning still ringing in her ears Lilith shook herself back to the present. Peering down the hallway, she prayed that Edalyn was still asleep. The raven-haired witch knew she wouldn’t be able to hide from her sister’s eyes, even in the pitch black. There was simply no good way of explaining what she was doing either. Not without breaking Luz’s unspoken trust. 

For now Eda couldn’t know about the blue eyed episode that Luz had for those few scary moments in the library.

A sharp gasp from the girl’s room interrupted Lilith’s thoughts as her head whipped back to face the open doorway. The witch’s heart jumped as a light illuminated her surroundings. Her eyes adjusting, she saw Luz flip over in her sleep, her eyes wide open.

Glowing blue.

***

_Luz awoke to thumping in her ears. It was so loud that it seemed to shake the very ground she was on as her breath rattled in her chest. She felt her hands clench in frustration as she tossed aside another worthless wooden husk._

_This time it was different. She could feel the liquid flowing through her body once more, but it’s power was weakened. Dulled. Luz heard herself growl. She looked down at the guard who was dutifully down on one knee in front of her. The gesture was ruined by the tremors that ran through the witch’s body as he struggled to keep his eyes on the ground._

_“You may go.” Belos‘s voice dismissed him._

_Luz felt herself stand as the guard scampered out of the room in a rush._

_She blinked and once again the sensation that she had been put back together returned and she was standing in a completely different room. Fighting back nausea that her body didn’t feel, Luz stared wide-eyed at her surroundings, taking in fully what Belos’s eyes merely swept across._

_She was in a fairly small space, a room completely covered in cages of all shapes and sizes. Luz gasped soundlessly as she approached one of them._

_Inside a small, fearful pig scampered and squealed, running away from the metal plated hand that reached inside and grasped for it._

_Unable to look away, Luz watched in horror as her clawed fingers pinned the poor creature by it’s tail, preventing it from getting away. She dragged it slowly out of the cage with a grinding screech as a single nail pierced the tail and dragged against the metal bottom of the cage. As it was brought closer, Luz realized the creature’s brown coloring wasn’t just a trick of the light._

_This was a palisman._

_Luz heard herself chuckle. A low, ominous rumbling, devoid of any actual mirth._

_“A shame he couldn’t have held still. You may have yet lasted a few more days.” The same cold voice said, as the rest of her fingers moved forward to cup the wooden pig. It’s eyes were wide in terror as Luz pieced together Belos’s ominous sentence._

_This wasn’t just any palisman. It belonged to the guard from earlier._

_It’s squealing ceased suddenly with a sickeningly loud crunch as she felt her hand snap close, cracking the wooden being in two._

_Before Luz was even able to process her disgust and horror, the hand holding the creature was pulled towards her eyes, once again pouring the burning liquid into the hollow of her mask._

_Luz twisted and squirmed, unable to get away from horror and agony she felt, but her body never budged. It felt empowered with the liquid running through it, now bolstered further with a second dose._

_It became easier to glide across the floor of the room as she felt herself move once more. Luz fought against her growing anxiety and forced herself to take in her surroundings. To learn all she possibly could._

_Every single cage in the room had a similarly sized creature, locked behind bars, all whimpering and crying in fright as Belos passed them. There were names attached to each of the various locked doors of what Luz had to assume were witches that these poor animals belonged to. Belos moved swiftly, heading for a small desk in the corner that held a very elegant bird cage and a single, unremarkable crystal ball. As Belos closed in on the ball, Luz focused on the bird cage nearby it._

_Inside, almost so still that Luz feared it was already dead, a small crow rested on a singular swing that dangled from the top of the cage. It’s eyes were dulled and devoid of life or hope and it barely even blinked as Belos slammed his hands down onto the desk._

_Luz looked down and read the name engraved on the plaque hanging off the door._

_“Lilith Clawthorne.”_

_Luz felt her hand swipe across the sphere of glass as the crystal ball cleared in the corner of her eye. She tore her focus off of the pitifully caged crow and watched as the foggy image cleared to reveal Warden Wrath. The very creep that Luz had faced down alongside Eda, her very first night on the Isles. His hooked masked stared up in alarm as Belos addressed him._

_“Warden Wrath. I am calling you from inside the castle’s menagerie, where I’ve just been forced to dip into my personal collection to fill the stock you were assigned to keep up with. Care to explain?”_

_“My liege!” Wrath stuttered. “Did you not receive the shipment I sent this afternoon?”_

_“You call that singular pathetic creature you sent a ‘shipment’? It wasn’t enough. It seems as though you are slacking at your job _Warden_.”_

_“It’s not my fault! It seems the denizens of the Isles have finally begun to truly behave themselves under your rule, my lord! We’ve been seeing less and less new prisoners that we have to hold at the Conformatorium.”_

_“An excellent excuse Warden. Is it truly that the Isles’ citizens are behaving themselves or is it that you are simply slacking in your duties? Regardless, I need you to send out a hunting party. The link I share with the titan has been extra strenuous as of late with all the preparations for the Day of Unity. It seems I have begun to require more then what I did before. _Do not_ fail me.” Belos growled as Luz felt a hand swipe across the glass. Wrath’s image faded and the room once again was filled with the heartbreaking noises of terrified animals. _

_Belos brought his hands to his mask, rubbing at it as Luz felt herself once again began to fade, the echoes of the crying creatures haunting her into the darkness that followed._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heheheheh. Have I told you guys yet that this story is only _just_ starting to pick up? 
> 
> It’s time for some more open threads and questions that will seemingly go unanswered until next I update. ;3


	26. The Bat Queen

_"What do you mean I can't go to school?!"_

Eda sighed heavily and looked at King. "Where did we go so wrong with this kid?" She questioned the little demon. 

"Eda! Tell her I'll be fine!" Luz pleaded. 

"It doesn't matter if you'll be fine or not. Chances are Belos is going to plant guards or spies near the school. You're little "rebellion" act spurred reactions in multiple students at Hexside." Lilith spoke, matter of factly.

"My sister has a point, as gross as that is to say. Belos is a jerk, but he isn’t stupid. He’ll want to make a show of force.”

Luz’s eyes widened. “Wait, so does that mean Willow and Gus could be in danger?”

“Doubtful. They are only children in his eyes. But he can’t risk an entire school full of said children to become disloyal.”

Luz groaned and rubbed her face. As if last night wasn’t bad enough, now she couldn’t even distract herself with learning. The kitchen fell into mindless banter as Eda and King discussed possible ways of expanding the house and making room for another roommate. Lilith looked as if she wanted to interject, but she remained quiet as she watched the both of them decide her fate. 

Luz couldn’t help but keep glancing at the former coven witch. She shivered as she remembered the life-less eyes of the raven in her vision. 

Her breakfast suddenly looked far less appetizing. 

The human stood up suddenly, knocking the table slightly and grabbing the attention of everyone.

“Well, if I can’t go to school, I’m going to have to keep myself busy until my friends get off. Eda can I borrow Owlbert for the day?”

“Taking him out for ice-cream again?” Eda questioned, raising an eyebrow. She had a knowing grin on her face as she rested her head dramatically on the back of her hand.

“Something like that.” Luz chuckled, running over to grab her shoulder bag that was slung by the door. She quickly checked to make sure she had her notepad and pencil. Shuffling through some extra glyph’s and confetti, her hand rested on the familiar binding of the notepad and she breathed a sigh of relief. She wrapped it around her body and grabbed the cloak Eda had made for her and pulled it up and over her head.

Glancing up one last time at Eda, who rolled her eyes and nodded, Luz whistled sharply. The whistle echoed throughout the house as Luz felt her heart beat pick up. She couldn’t fight the grin that spread across her face as she kept her head down, hand outstretched to side. 

Her fantasy loving heart thumped faster in her chest. Another gift from the isles. She heard the echoey, chilling call of Owlbert as Eda’s staff launched towards her. Luz fought to keep her head down as she mentally prepared to catch him. 

_This was going to look so cool._

Luz felt the staff hit her hand and she closed her fist, ready to bring it down with a large intimidating crack, but something was wrong.

As her fist closed she realized too late that she had been expecting it to be vertical, not horizontal. The movement of her hand twirled the staff around rapidly and she braced herself as Owlbert spun in a tight circle, heading straight for her head. 

The crack she had intended to make from tapping the bottom of the staff on the floor instead came from her cranium.

“Ow.” Luz exclaimed, rubbing her face as she reached down to pick up the now very confused and disorientated palisman. 

Owlbert looked up at her with wide eyes and she smiled despite her pain. 

“It’s ok buddy, we’ll work on it.” She comforted him as Eda and King cackled from the kitchen.

“Oh hush sister, how many times did you attempt that exact move only to smack yourself in the face?”

Luz choked on her laughter as Eda’s snickering stopped immediately. 

“Oh please. You can’t prove that.” She growled, glaring at the raven-haired witch who turned to Luz with a smirk.

“She’s just salty because when we were younger I refused to treat her bruises whenever she insisted on launching a mop at herself.” Lilith explained to the human with a small smile playing at her lips.

King fell off the table with a thud as his laughter grew uncontrollable. 

“Luz, help me out here. Vouch for how cool I am. Also, just a friendly reminder, I do let you live here rent free.” Eda pleaded with a massive toothy grin.

Luz snickered. “Oh what would you know, I think I hear something calling for me? Ominous forest? Yes, I’m coming. I wouldn’t leave you hanging.” She grinned as she turned to leave.

“Waaaait." Eda called out to her, suddenly serious. 

Luz turned around with a raised eyebrow. In one fluid movement, Eda reached behind her sisters back and plucked the phone from her pocket and chucked it at her protégé. Luz fumbled with it for only a second before she grasped it firmly in her hand and smiled. 

“Oh, almost forgot. Thank you Eda! Now, if you need me, I’ll be visiting the Bat Queen!” She said with a dramatic flick of her cape as Owlbert chittered happily. 

On her way out the door she heard Lilith exclaim a very loud and concerned, _“What?!”_ before Hooty swung shut behind her. 

Smirking, Luz climbed atop Owlbert, and took off above the trees surrounding The Owl House. 

*** 

The wind raced through Luz’s hair as her cloak’s hood was knocked back. She glanced down at her phone. She had already messaged Willow and Gus and told them not to wait up for her, as she was forbidden from going to school for the time being. They agreed to keep her updated as the day progressed and she had made them Both promise to get her missed work from all of the tracks. She wasn’t about to miss any chance at learning all she could. 

Now she sat there and stared at her phone as Owlbert sped across the tree-tops, hurtling towards the Bat Queen’s lair. 

Her message from Amity was still left on read. Luz tried not to let it get to her. It was only a simple good morning. The green-haired witch was probably already pretty busy with prepping for classes to worry about messaging her back. Or maybe she was trying to blend back in with her old friends, the ones her parents insisted she associate with. 

That would make sense. 

Luz knew the drill. It was social suicide to associate with her. No matter what world she was in. It didn’t matter though, because Luz knew she had cracked into that sour lemon drop’s sweet core. Even if Amity had to hide their friendship, it just meant that they had one to begin with. 

Luz couldn’t be happier. 

She was Amity’s friend and she even had a nickname now to prove it. 

Chaos. 

Her heart stuttered as she thought of the nickname that Amity had begun to use last night. It was so incredibly cute. She felt the heat rise to her face, despite the chilly breeze that blew past her. Luz had never had a nickname before, and she couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride at the wonderful word the the witch had so affectionately called her. Chaos. She could get behind some chaos. 

Luz glanced up at the time in the corner of the screen and sighed. First period would be starting just about now. Abomination Track. 

Her class with Amity. 

The minutes turned the hour and Luz's heart sank. Class had started. She looked ahead and tried to focus on where they were flying. 

Her phone chimed, calling her attention back immediately.

_\- Where are you?_

  
It was from Amity. Luz felt a smirk light up her face.  


__

_\- Miss me Blight?_

_\- No.  
\- It's just that you're never late unless you're getting into trouble. _

\- _Staying out of trouble actually.  
\- Lillith and Eda banned me from school today.  
\- Concerned about Emperor's Coven guards being there._

_\- That's... reasonable. There are a couple of witches hanging around claiming to be "scouting". I bet they're here because of the broadcast._

  
- _That's what Lilith thought. Just, be careful. Keep an eye out for Willow and Gus too if you can._

_\- Of course.  
\- I still don't believe you aren't getting into trouble though. _

  


_\- Oh please. No trouble here. I'm just on my way to visit the Bat Queen.  
\- I have a couple of questions._

  


_\- What?!_

  
_\- Huh. Popular response today._

_\- LUZ!_

_\- That's my name._

_\- She's incredibly dangerous.  
\- You shouldn't be visiting her alone. _

_\- Relax Amity. Me and Queenie go waaaay back.  
\- I'll be fine. I just have a few questions._

_\- Something... happened last night._

_\- It happened again... didn't it?_

__

_\- Its fine. Im fine, promise.  
\- I just want some information._

_\- Tell me what happened._

_\- Nuh uh. You're supposed to be paying attention to class missy._  
 _\- I'm not going to be the reason you lose the top student badge.  
\- Again anyways._

_\- Fine.  
\- But keep me updated during the day so I know you haven't been eaten.  
\- And you're going to fill me on what happened later._

_\- I'll be looking forward to it. Learn lots for me <3_

Luz smiled as she tucked her phone away. She looked below her and watched as the purple and oranges of the trees turned to brown and grey. 

They were approaching the Bat Queen's forest. 

*** 

Bones cracked under Luz's feet while she walked. She had unlocked Owlbert from his staff and he sat on her shoulder, giving her a small comfort in the creepy silence of the forest. 

She began to laugh uncomfortably. 

"Everything's going to be fine. Right Owlbert? I mean you ran to her for a reason. She just wants to help." Luz assured herself. 

Owlbert hooted. 

"Right. And I mean. Its not like she won't want to hear what I have to say. Oh Titan. I can't..." Luz shivered. "I can't believe what Belos is doing with those palisman's. And... what I did..." Luz stopped and corrected herself. "No. What _he_ did to that poor pig. It's like he enjoyed it." 

Luz stopped her walking. She reached at her shoulder and cradled the little owl that was perched there in her hands. She thought of the raven once again. 

"Lilith has to know... about her palisman. Right? She just has to. But what if she doesn't? Is it at risk too?! Oh Owlbert, when am I even going to be able to get her alone to question her?!" She exclaimed to the little bird, staring him down with wide pleading eyes. 

Owlbert hooted at her softly. Luz sighed and placed him back on her shoulder. 

"You're right. That's not why I came here. I'm just stalling... come on Luz, just got to bite the bullet here. Wait. Is it called biting the bullet here? Does the Boiling Isles even have bullets?! Well. They'd have to have silver ones for the werewolves and vampires right? But why would they need guns if they have magic? Are they magical guns? Or is there magical sil-" 

Luz stopped herself mid-babble and groaned loudly. She took a deep breath. 

"Right. Stalling. Ughhhh. Here we go- MS. BAT QUEEN?!" She yelled, taking a couple of steps forward. 

"It's me! Luz. The human? I have some information that you'll probably want to hear..." 

Luz stopped walking and looked around. Listening. 

Owlbert hooted in alarm as Luz looked down and saw a yellow glowing circle under her feet. She dove out of the way as a web of sticky white rope launched out of the magic. 

"Wait, I just want to tal-" Luz exclaimed before she was cut off by yet another spell circle appearing next to her. Sidestepping the flames that shot out of it, she took off running. Owlbert followed closely behind with a loud hoot. Luz could see him out of the corner of her eye, fluttering right near her head. 

“Can I just explain?!" She yelled into the forest. Luz still couldn't hear or see the large palisman but she knew The Bat Queen was somewhere near. 

Suddenly a tree shook in front of her and a large shadow dropped down revealing the massive face of Queen herself. 

Luz skidded to a stop centimeters away from where a plume of fire emerged. Peaking above the arms she had raised in front of her face she looked up at the Bat Queen in awe. 

“How do I know is you?!" The Queen screeched angrily, stretching her large wings out to the side. 

"I don't know?! Just trust me maybe?" Luz yelled back. 

"Not good enough!" 

The human, knowing what was coming, closed her eyes and braced as a yellow glow surrounded her. 

There was a thundering hoot as the glow faded and silence filled the forest once again. 

Luz dared a peak. 

Owlbert was flapping inches in front of her staring transfixed at the Bat Queen whose eyes were glowing a calming yellow. 

"I see. You are indeed same human as before." She rumbled, closing her wings as her eyes cleared. 

"Come. Back with me to nest." The creature commanded as she took off. The flapping of her wings caused massive gusts of wind that Luz had to brace herself against. She held tight to Eda's staff as Owlbert landed once again on her shoulder. 

"Thanks, buddy." 

*** 

"Bile." The Bat Queen confirmed plainly, nodding her entire body slightly. 

Luz stared at her for a moment. The children of the Bat Queen had clung tightly to her hair as Luz had told their mother her story. Now they had all fallen asleep beside her, with one curled up gently in the human's lap. Their snoring filled her ears while her mind raced. 

"So... you mean palismans have the same bile sac as witches?" 

"No." The Queen said shortly, adjusting her stance to stare down at Luz. 

"There is no sac. Just bile. It is shared between Witch and Palisman." 

Luz nodded. Her eyes wide. "So they don't have a limitless supply then." 

The Bat Queen nodded. 

"When witch casts through staff, bile is shared between Palisman and Witch. Not many alive know this. Belos must not. He is a fool to separate the palisman's from their owners. Wasting lives and bile both." She spat out. 

Her large red eyes grew angry and Luz could feel the magic that was alight in the air, seconds away from combusting with her fury. The babies woke up and began screeching as they picked up on the tension. Luz reached out and quickly gathered them all up in her arms, rocking them back and forth as their eyes grew heavy once more. 

"I'm sorry Bat Queen ma'am. I came to you as soon as I found out." Luz apologized quietly. "I don't know how to help them." 

"I do not either. I have long had suspicion that something was up at palace, but it was unwise to investigate. Especially with babies." 

"Right..." Luz answered, dejected. 

A part of her had secretly hoped that the palisman in front of her would be able to help somehow. Stop Belos from doing whatever he was doing to those poor creatures. 

Luz now had answers. Just no solutions. 

Belos was using witch's bile to keep himself and his magic going. The only source of which seemed to be from Palismans themselves. Luz felt a growing sense of dread as she remembered her first night on the Isles and the countless prisoners in the Conformatorium. 

How long had Belos been falsely arresting witches for harmless things, just to retrieve and confiscate their palismans? How many witches had lost their dear companions because Belos needed the bile inside of them? 

Luz felt herself clutch tighter to the babies in her arms. 

Owlbert hooted softly at her ear and nuzzled comfortingly into her face. 

"You say you have link to this, Belos, correct?" 

"Unfortunately. Or... fortunately. I still don't know." Luz admitted. "I'm not going to lie and say it doesn't worry me. And I could really use some actual sleep in which I don't see through some creepy evil dude's eyes." 

The BatQueen merely stared at her. 

"And you intend to challenge him?" 

Luz blinked. The idea hadn't occured to her... at least not so directly. Luz knew she would eventually have to face him if she wanted to get the portal back, but there was something rotten on the Boiling Isles. And it wasn't just the giant decaying carcass of the titan. 

"Eventually... yes. He can't keep getting away with hurting people. Or palismans." 

The BatQueen nodded and Luz could see the approval in her eyes. 

"Very well. Then Luz, small human. Take this. Use it for when you need my assistance. I will be there. No more hiding in the forest." 

Luz stared up at her with wide eyes as the Bat Queen once again shifted, stretching her legs out to the side to balance herself. She started hacking, clearly attempting to throw something up. Luz grimaced. Why did everything on the Isles have to deliver things in the same, disgusting way? 

The Bat Queen coughed up a singular piece of paper that floated effortless down to the ground in front of Luz. It was shockingly dry, without an ounce of saliva or mucus on it. Luz gently set aside the babies and stood to retrieve it. 

The Bat Queen screeched above her. Freezing for a moment and fearing she did something wrong, Luz's eyes darted away from the paper and stared as the giant palisman summoned her babies to her hair and stretched out her wings. 

"This gift is not the same as whistle I gave the owl lady. This directly contacts me. I shall hear you wherever you are from the second you touch it." 

Luz looked again down at the paper. Her breath caught in her throat. 

Scribbled elegantly in faded ink, lay a glyph. It's design was foreign and unfamiliar to the human. 

"Bat Queen... this is a glyph!" She exclaimed breathlessly. "But how do you..." Luz trailed off as the giant lady began to flap her wings and take off into the sky. 

"There are few left alive that remember the ways of old magic. I am one of them. Tap that. Say what you require of me, and I'll find you." She spoke plainly as she began to rise above the forest tops and disappeared. 

“Wait!! This changes things!" Luz yelled at her. "THIS CHANGES SO MANY THINGS!!" 

The only answer she received was the haunting screech of the Bat Queen as the forest fell silent around her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Warning first part of these ending notes are just sap. Skip down a little bit for actual chapter notes.**  
>  _ **1k kudos?**_ Are you kidding me? I know for sure I don’t deserve that, y’all must be insane. I’m still struggling to process the fact that anyone can actually make it through the first chapter of something I wrote... much less read it through and still decide, hey, that deserves some credit.
> 
> And then there are those wonderful souls who leave comments? Do you know how excited I get whenever I read your reactions or your theories on stuff you want to see? On something... I wrote. There are people... excited to read what I wrote... It just doesn’t sound right honestly. _I still can’t believe it._ I go through back and read through them all constantly. I show my girlfriend whenever I get new ones because I find them so incredibly sweet and I want someone else to know just how amazingly lucky I am.
> 
> Fun fact, this fic, while entirely motivated mostly by just stuff I wanted to see in the show that I knew we probably wouldn’t ever get, has become sort of therapeutic. Especially recently as my living situation grows more and more turbulent by the day. I love writing these characters. They make me smile. I might not write the best canonical Luz, but as a bi female with some extreme ADHD, it means a lot to me to be able to even have a character like her to attempt to capture in writing. 
> 
> I guess I should address this chapter though and stop it with the mushy gushy. You guys are _FAR_ too good to me though and I hope you know how much I appreciate it.
> 
> *******
> 
> So... right off the bat, with Lilith telling Luz about how often Eda would smack herself in the face, you have no idea just how hard I had to fight to not give some sort of weird plot hole just so I could have her cast one of those ‘exposition’ spells so I could write about a little fiery haired Eda standing confidently on top of her bed only to get smacked directly in the face by a mop as she attempted to catch it like Luz did. Seriously. So hard. Just you wait, by the end of this whole fic I’m going to have like a couple of bonus one-shots of all the ideas that got scrapped throughout the process of writing this.
> 
> Also, aww, Lily’s concerned. Come on Lilith. Luz is just going to visit _The_ Bat Queen. A very very dangerous being who borders on the edge of being pure myth and her impossible trials that no one in recorded history has ever been able to best. Nothing to worry about.
> 
> Speaking of that... how about that Bat Queen though? Seriously. One of the biggest just, “oh sh*t” moments of the entire season and it was never touched on again. She’s going to play such a huge part of this show before long, I just wanted to jump on it first. I can’t remember when it came up, but I do remember someone mentioning something about glyph’s being very ancient magic. So who better to know about ancient magicks then a being who I assume is one of the only creatures able to remember a time like that. It’s too bad that creature is a stubborn ole mother who is written by someone with a major flare for the dramatic. (Tis a weakness of mine, I admit)
> 
> It seems like we may be setting up for something big. 
> 
> Poor Luz. It’s her turn to never catch a break.
> 
> (Also. Every time I try and mess with the alignment something new goes wrong. Last time it was a bunch of italicized brackets. This time it was bold. But worse. It just affected everything, not just the texting parts of the story. I didn’t even use a single bold bracket! Took me like, 20 minutes to fix it all. YEESH.)


	27. A Cold Smile

Amity peeled her eyes open. The first thing she noticed was just how dark it was in her room. She lay in bed a second as she slowly awoke and became aware of her body. 

Her face hurt.

Sighing she swung her feet off the bed and dragged herself to a sitting position. As she reached for her phone, the alarm she had set went off. Picking the ringing machine up in her hands, she swiped to turn the noise off as she stood and stretched. 

Another day. 

Amity threw a blanket over the mirror as she got dressed. She refused to look at it right now, wouldn’t think about the way it throbbed in pain with every little movement of her head. 

For just a little bit, it wouldn’t exist. The reality and truth of what had happened yesterday morning just a terrible dream. 

Her phone chimed. Glancing at it still laying there on the bed, Amity saw that she had a message from Willow.

 _Please… just a little longer._ She thought desperately as the screen locked once more and the room went dark again. She refused to let her mind drift to whatever her child-hood friend had messaged her about. She knew deep down, exactly what it was. Amity clung tighter to the illusion she had let herself wake up to.

Just a nightmare. It would be just another day at school. Full of classes, and Boscha glaring at her throughout the day… and Luz. Her heart skipped a beat as it always did when she thought about the human girl.

Just another day, her only worry being what horribly cute thing Luz would pull on her today. Trying to keep her face from becoming a furnace in front of her classmates and teachers whenever Luz spoke to her…

Amity began to feel a smile pull at the corner of her mouth.

A knock at the door made it slip away in an instant.

The door creaked open slowly to reveal her mother, a dark imposing silhouette illuminated only slightly from the light leaking in from the hallways.

“Dear? Why is it so dark in here?” Odalia questioned airily as she flicked on the light.

The sudden brightness nearly blinded Amity as she covered her face with her arm. As her eyes adjusted she felt them dilate in fear as her mother stepped towards her. 

The illusion left.

Her mother’s eyes flicked immediately to the jewelry box, still sitting in a heap on the ground. They casually slid off of the ground and stared down her own daughter next, Odalia’s face an unreadable blank slate.

“Oh good. You are awake. How are you feeling Amity?” Her mother inquired, her voice eerily causal.

Amity gulped and looked down to the ground, afraid of her mother seeing just how scared she was. 

“I’m feeling just fine mother.” Amity lied.

“Try again.” Her mother’s voice turned to ice as it dripped with warning.

Amity tensed and closed her eyes tightly.

“My… my face hurts a bit.” She admitted softly.

Amity felt a finger lift up her chin. She couldn’t contain the shiver that ran through her body at the contact. She opened her eyes.

_Her mother was smiling._

It was a cold, calculating smile. 

“Good.” Odalia nodded approvingly, the smile not wavering in the slightest. In fact, as Amity was forced to stare up at her mother, she could’ve sworn she saw it grow wider.

“Pain is a reminder, Amity. It is a reminder of our mistakes. Let me see it.” Her mother commanded, leading Amity’s head to the side by grabbing gently ahold of her chin. 

The young witch began hearing a buzzing in her ears as her mind emptied. Her body, frozen in fear, was completely at the mercy of her mother. 

“I will not take the pain away. Do you understand?” 

Amity nodded, her eyes staring straight ahead at the pictures on the wall, not seeing any of them.

“As a Blight, you must learn to conceal it entirely. Pain is a weakness, one you must internalize and grow from, because as you know, Blight’s have no weaknesses. A Blight feels no pain.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Amity recognized the familiar glow of magic come for her mother’s hand. Fear clouding her mind and making it entirely blank, Amity didn’t even flinch as long, bony fingers caressed her face with their glow. 

“I shall conceal it for now. Consider it a kindness. A gift, so that others may not see your weakness.” Odalia purred as the glow faded and those fingers continued their awful caress. 

“Thank you mother.” Amity whispered hoarsely, the words her mother spoke, echoing around in the emptiness in her head.

“I should get going. I wouldn’t want to be late.” She continued almost robotically. 

She felt her mother’s hand leave her face, and Amity somehow brought herself to look into those chilling, grey eyes. 

Her mother smiled once more. 

Amity shivered.

“Excellent. Taking the Emperor’s job for you seriously. It is a shame you have to watch out for a creature as simple and disgusting as a human, but it will do you well to please him. Perhaps after such a simple task of merely _babysitting_ , I may even be able to convince him, and myself, that you are fit for something… greater.” Her mother drawled, moving to sit on Amity’s bed as the young witch nodded.

Amity grabbed her bag and headed towards the door.

“Oh, it seems your jewelry box has fallen, Amity.” Her mother’s voice purred from behind her.

Amity turned around slowly to see her levitating it back up and onto the desk, keeping it hovering above the direct center.

A warning.

“You should really be more careful with gifts dear.”

The box set down on the desk with a heavy thud. The movement knocked loose the blanket Amity had hung over her mirror and as she turned to leave once more, the image of her mother smiling in its reflection haunted her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter. I apologize. This scene wasn’t planned in the slightest, but as I began to write the next scene, this... came up. As horrifying as it was it, it commanded it’s place in the story. 
> 
> I feel sick.
> 
> I don’t like writing this sort of stuff. I don’t mind a little whump... but this? As quickly as it flew from my fingers, I had to take multiple breaks while writing to try and shake off the horrible feeling I had. I cut it off from the rest of the chapter following because it’s tone was too heavy. It didn’t flow correctly and it couldn’t. This needed to be a stand alone scene. Hopefully I’ll have the next part up soon. Either later today or tomorrow. I already have a bunch of notes for what needs to happen in it so it won’t take long regardless.


	28. Debate and Discussion

_\- Ask Lilith about her palisman_

Amity sighed. She made her way through the cafeteria to the corner of the room and posted up at an empty table. She pulled out her phone again and looked at the message.

_\- So you must not have been eaten._

_\- Nope. I told you that me and Queen go back._

_\- Not that I don’t have even MORE questions now…_

_\- You’re meeting up with Lilith later right? Ask her about her palisman pleaaaassseeeee_

_\- Alright, alright. I’ll bring it up._

_\- Are you going to tell me how it went?_

_\- That depends._

_\- Are you still in school?_

_\- Uh… yes?_

_\- Then noooo. I’m not going to be a distraction to you._

Amity’s face went red. _Too late._ She remembered back to earlier, her mind easily skipping over the morning at the Blight manor, to when she first received Luz’s good morning text. Her heart had nearly stopped as waited under the tree for Willow.

Of course Willow had seen the way her face lit up as she read and reread the two simple words. Amity had ignored the message the best she could, knowing she’d see Luz later in class and hoping by then she would have recovered.

And then her crush had sent her yet another heart.

Her face hit the table.

“I’m just saying, Beast Keeping all the way. I mean, it’s literally a home for all species on the isles. How is that not Beast Keeping?” A familiar voice argued somewhere above her.

Amity peeled her face up to look at the source of the sound. Her eyes widened as she saw Gus and Willow headed straight for her. Gus plopped his tray down across from Amity while Willow slid in next to her.

“Are you suggesting that I‘m a beast then? Because I just don’t think I could live up to those expectations.” Willow replied honestly. “Besides, the Titan only became home to those creatures _after_ it died. If it was in a track when it was alive I’m guessing it probably studied Potions.”

Amity blinked, surprised and a little bit confused. She glanced over her shoulder at the table she used to sit at. Boscha’s eyes were narrowed in her direction as Skara and Amelia chatted lightly about something.

Her attention quickly shifted back to her own table as Gus conjured a mirror image of himself.

“Potions? What would potions have to do with anything? The titan is the source of all magic. It doesn’t make sense for them to be standing around and brewing things.” The Gus clone argued.

The real Gus turned to Amity.

“Amity! Help me and me out here. If the Titan took a track at Hexside, they would take Beast Keeping right?” He questioned, as all 3 sets of eyes turned to look at the green-haired witch.

Taking a moment to process exactly what had just happened in last few seconds, Amity paused.

“Well, obviously a titan is a massive creature. Any beast that we know of would be dwarfed or crushed by even just it’s little finger. Beast Keeping would be very difficult. Whereas Potions track makes a lot of sense.”

Willow whooped as Gus sighed. Amity ignored them and continued, enjoying the challenge the theory proposed.

“Being the large creature it is, moving around even slightly would take a lot of energy. There probably wouldn’t be enough substance around in the world for it to move more then a little bit each day. Beast Keeping would require it to be constantly on the move, when you could easily sit by a potion and save plenty of energy as you wait. And the demon dimension is filled with a ton of different acids and bases that make up the various elements for life. Since the titan would also be ancient, them messing around with the basic building blocks of life in say, a potion, would make sense.” Amity continued, getting more and more excited.

She looked at Luz’ s friends with a smile and noticed their wide eyes. Amity immediately blushed as she realized she had been rambling.

“I mean… that’s just, my thoughts at least.” She mumbled quickly, suddenly embarrassed.

In a flash the clone of Gus conjured a blackboard to rest near the table. Grabbing a piece of chalk he began scribbling down notes in a list format, weighing the pros and cons of the fantasy argument.

The real Gus stroked his chin in thought as he faced it, thinking of his next point. Out of the corner of Amity’s eye she saw Willow looking at her with a smile. Facing her former childhood friend with a questioning glance, Willow winked at her.

Pieces clicked. They didn’t seem right, but they fit in place. Despite Luz not being there, Gus and Willow were sitting with her by choice. The cold chill she had woke up and left with this morning finally began to warm.

“Ok. So Amity brings up excellent points, and Willow, you agree with her?” Gus’s clone turned to Willow.

“The fancy words she says make sense. Potions track for sure.” Willow nodded.

“Ok. It seems like I am out-numbered.” The real Gus mumbled, still facing the blackboard.

His clone turned to him with an insulted look. Gus ignored it and dramatically turned to face his companions.

“I’ll have to call upon my secret weapon.” He drawled, whipping out his phone and tapping a few things into it. He set it in the center of the table and they all stared as it began to ring.

“Hello?” A voice questioned as the ringing stopped. Amity’s face began to feel warm as she recognized it’s warm tones immediately.

“Luz! Help me out here. If the titan were to take a track at Hexside, which track would it study? Beast Keeping or Potions?” Gus pleaded into the mic.

“Oh come on. That’s not fair.” Willow started as Luz made obviously exaggerated thinking noises.

“Beast-Keeping does make more sense.” She concluded.

“Exactly! Now that the fields are even, I would like to bring up my next point to you all.”

“Which again isn’t fair as Luz hasn’t even heard Amity’s argument yet…” Willow mumbled as Gus continued.

“We know that the Titan became the host for life on the isles after it passed. Which is fair point to make for the potions track if we are talking about what they might have studied while they were _alive_. I however, propose this. The titan was still as giant as it is now, which means it‘s highly likely for it to be a host for multiple different species in a possible symbiotic relationship when it was alive. Thus qualifying it for the Beast Keeping track. Boom.” He finished as his clone nodded supportively.

Amity stared at him. It was a good point and one she hadn’t considered. A massive creature supporting life for multiple different smaller beings in a symbiotic relationship? Her mind worked to counter it as she heard Luz speak again, halting all progress immediately.

“Well. All of that of course, ANNND, I bring up the irrefutable point of imagine a giant titan cuddling and caring for a small fluffy creature.” She added, helpfully.

“Aw.” Willow, Gus and Luz all echoed as the image flashed in their minds.

It wasn’t a real point, and Amity knew that, but her mind was fuzzy. She suddenly found it really difficult to think on the logical side of the argument as she imagined Luz’s smile.

“Amity.” Willow nudged her arm gently, snapping her out of the daydream. “Wanna help?”

Amity’s eyes widened. She tried to focus.

“Well, Luz, as cute as that would be, it still doesn’t seem as likely as Potions track.” Amity started, attempting to restart her brain.

“Is that Amity? You guys didn’t tell me she was involved in this! She’s probably made a bunch of good points already if that’s the case Gus. I would’ve been more serious if I had known we were going up against her!”

Amity’s brain shut down once again. She could practically hear it making the loud error noises that the crystal balls in the library sometimes made when they couldn’t find a connection.

“Oh… um…” She stuttered, trying to regain her place in the discussion.

“Ok. Well now that I know that, I’m going to write down a couple of ideas, Gus text me your theories and we’ll come up with a strong enough argument to hopefully beat Amity and Willow’s. We can have King and Eda judge the winner!” Luz suggested excitedly before abruptly hanging up.

The trio and clone all looked at the phone. Gus got a huge smile on his face.

“That’s my human!” Gus cheered as the clone of him poofed into smoke. ”The challenge has been issued! Do you two accept?” He asked, growing serious.

Amity couldn’t help but laugh, the idea of a friendly competition like this making her heart warm and fuzzy. “Of course.”

Willow turned to her. “You sure you’re going to be able to concentrate, Blight?” She said with a smirk.

Amity blushed. Oh god. Her opponent was Luz. She felt a growing sense of confidence as she smirked back.

This was going to be fun, no matter what happened.

“Only if you can keep up, Park.”

Willow’s eyes lit up with the challenge.

“Let’s take them down.” The plant witch grinned.

***

Amity felt anxious as she waited outside the Blight Manor in the agreed spot. She checked her messages from last night. There was a small clearing in the woods near their personal Grudgeby field that Lilith and her both agreed was hidden enough for their purposes.

Amity glanced back up at the manor, looming above her on the hill. It’s cold walls seemed to be watching her as she leaned up against a nearby tree.

“It is a bit close for my liking…” Lilith spoke from the shadows, emerging from the nearby trees without making a noise.

“I didn’t have to agree to this you know.” Amity replied plainly.

Lilith looked hurt, but she nodded. “Of course. Thank you, by the way. I just have a few questions for y-” The former coven leader started, before immediately being interupted.

“I think I’ll start with the questions actually. Starting with, what happened last night? You were supposed to be watching Luz!” Amity accused quickly, her hands curling into fists as she thought on what Luz had told her earlier.

_Something happened last night…_

“I was watching her! Her eyes began to glow shortly after she had fallen asleep. I tried waking her up but I had no luck. I simply watched over her until her eyes went back to normal and she was back to sleep.” Lilith admitted plainly. “The human seems keen on keeping this from Eda for the time being, otherwise I would have tried snapping her out of it early with my sister’s help. She seemed to be in pain.”

Amity closed her eyes. She was really starting to hate Belos. She briefly wondered why Luz wanted to keep something like this from Eda, but she set that idea aside for the time being. The young witch had more she wanted to accomplish here.

“Alright. Next question. You’ve been all over the Emperor’s castle correct? I need directions to a certain place in the cellar‘s of the castle. It’s got a large staircase leading into a massive room. One that could host a large scale construction project.”

Lilith’s eyes narrowed. “Are you going to tell me what this about?”

“Nope.” Amity smiled antagonistically. 

“Alright. I get it. I know of the room you are speaking about. Do you have a piece of paper?”

Amity reached into her bag that she had slung over her shoulder. Ever since she had met Luz, the witch had begun to keep a small notepad on her, just in case. She passed it over to Lilith who sat delicately down on the ground and began scribbling on multiple pages.

Amity watched her for a bit, before she joined her former mentor on the ground, watching as the pencil she was using rapidly created rooms and hallways.

When she was finished Lilith handed the notepad back to Amity.

“There are multiple levels to the palace. I drew the most direct path, starting from the main floor to the room you mentioned. It’s not a very used area, so there shouldn’t be any worry, but if you’re plotting something… nefarious, I would recommend caution going down the final staircase. It’s a one way entrance and exit.” The raven-haired witch explained as Amity flipped through the multiple page map.

Amity nodded. “Thank you.”

“Is that all of the questions you have for me?”

“For now? Yes.”

“Good. Now I have a few of my own.” Lilith turned to her and fixed the young witch with a hard stare.

“Amity, your parents… would you say you trust them?”

Amity felt a shiver up her back as she stared into those piercing green eyes and registered the question.

“Trust them?” She echoed, hollowly.

“Have they ever hurt you?”

“No.” The reply was almost more of an instinct, a reaction, rather then an actual answer. Amity felt her mind go blank.

Lilith’s eyes narrowed again.

“You can tell me Amity. I’m not here to make any drastic decisions on your behalf. I just… I would like a chance to make up for failing to take into account your feelings while you were studying under me.”

Amity blinked at the genuine feeling behind Lilith’s words. She sounded sincere. Amity wanted to trust it, but as she went to speak, there was a lingering feeling of her mother’s hand, caressing her face. Amity froze.

“You know as well as I do how strict my parents can be. It’s for my own good. I have the best shot at my future through them.” Amity replied, looking away from the older witch.

Lilith sighed. “Very well. If it ever begins to feel like too much… come to the Owl House. My sister may be crazy, and she may not fully trust me either, but she’ll make sure you aren’t working yourself too hard. There’s no one better to shirk off responsibility with.

“Oh I know. She made Luz eat snow once. Said it was for her magic training.” Amity laughed.

Lilith grinned.

“That’s nothing. One time, when we were kids and I had stressed myself out about an upcoming test, she convinced me the best way to pass was to take ten eggs and crack them over the balcony at Hexside. She claimed there was a hex on them that would grant luck to whoever did that.”

“Well? Did it work?”

“Oh absolutely not. All ten eggs somehow managed to land on Professor Bump’s head and we had to run out of school to avoid punishment.”

Amity found herself laughing, imagining her stiff mentor and the owl lady both being chased by Principle Bump.

“But it did get rid of the anxiety I had. I ended up passing the test and getting detention. So overall it was pretty harmless.” Lilith blinked, as if an idea occurred to her. “Also, I’m sure Luz would appreciate the company. ”

Amity found herself blushing, she looked pointedly at the ground as she tried to focus again.

“I also have one other question. One that my sister wanted me to ask you.”

Amity looked up her former mentor with a raised eyebrow. Eda had a question for her?

“What do you think of Luz?”

Amity flushed. Despite the way Lilith had phrased it, the young witch could <i>feel</i> the smirk coming from the Owl Lady herself. She knew exactly what Eda had meant when she asked Lilith to ask her.

“What I think huh? I think Eda can mind her own business.” She answered, flustered.

Lilith looked at her curiously.

“Well… Luz is her business.” The older witch replied plainly.

Amity somehow felt even more heat rise to her face. She was luckily saved from answering by a quiet chime from her phone. Pulling it out of her bag she found a new group chat started by Luz.

\- _Meet me at Hexside, in the detention track room in 20 minutes. I’ve got so much to tell you guys._

Amity sighed gratefully. She stood up and shook off some grass and dirt from her pants.

“Well. I better get going. I hope I answered all of your questions.” She said curtly, turning to walk away. As she took a few steps she remembered something. Turning around quickly she stopped Lilith as the older witch went to leave in the opposite direction.

“Before I go… I have one more question for you.”

Lilith raised an eyebrow as she waited patiently for her protégé to continue.

“What happened to your palisman?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hexside Debate Club episode _PLEAAAASEEE!!!_
> 
> Honestly you cannot convince me that this group of 4 nerds wouldn’t take a silly topic like what track would the titan study as seriously as possible. Also, Amity getting a chance to get excited about and show off her knowledge in a competitive way? Adorable. Perfect. Wonderful. Imagine how cute that would be. Throw in Luz either as an opponent or in the audience cheering Amity on and bam! A wonderful episode with plenty of shenanigans. 
> 
> Also for anyone wondering why it seems I just glossed over the events of last chapter in a few throwaway sentences, I haven’t. Ponder me this. Think of what her mother told her last chapter. 
> 
> Amity is still a young kid and despite the fact she knows her mother is in the wrong, it doesn’t erase the years of enforcing toxic lessons into her daughter’s head. 
> 
> The kid needs therapy. She needs a hug. Please someone give her a hug. 
> 
> Despite all of this, it seems Amity is being quite forceful in her conversation with Lilith... wonder what that could mean? Hmmmmmmmmm.
> 
> (Lovely shout-outs to t10_rty (Otherwise known as Trinity here) and Your Local Bisexual Princess on discord who helped with the idea of just what the heck Gus and Willow needed to be arguing about before they came up to Amity.)


	29. Healing With Help from The Birds

_This room is really gray…_

Luz looked around her. She hadn’t noticed it before. Everything was so gray. The walls, the chairs, even the tables. The large ominous jail-like windows cast grey light into the room giving it a horribly drab feeling. Luz stood up suddenly and frowned. There HAD to be something she could do to add some color. 

She reached into her bag and set a couple of glyph’s on the table. 

“Hmm…” Luz stroked her chin in thought, wondering where she should start.

“Hmm?”

“Blaarghh!” Luz yelled as she jumped away from the table to face whatever voice was just in her ear. 

A witch dressed in blue and orange stood inches away from where Luz had just been standing. She had her eyes closed in a hearty laugh as she moved to lean against the table Luz had put her glyphs on. She had her arms crossed in front of her chest.

“Viney!” Luz said cheerfully, straightening herself out. She recognized her detention track buddy almost immediately. “What are you still doing hanging around school?” 

Viney glanced down casually at the glyphs on the table before she fixed Luz with a smile. Instead of answering, the multi-track witch merely brought her hand to her mouth and whistled. 

Luz heard a crash from somewhere down the hallway. With a loud screech, Viney’s partner in crime, Puddles the griffon, skidded into the room and nearly knocked into the teacher’s podium in his rush.

“I was staying after to take care of this little guy.” Viney said with a soft smile, walking over to the cooing hybrid. She scratched under his chin as she nodded at Luz.

“The question is, what are you doing? You weren’t at school today. Puddles missed you in class.”

Luz’s heart melted. Of course he did.

“Oh well you know me, always getting into trouble. Had to lay low today, if you know what I mean.” Luz winked at her friend. She walked over to Puddles and pat him on the head, leaning low to whisper in his ear.

“I missed you too buddy.”

Viney laughed from somewhere above her. “Whatever you say Luz. Wanna walk with us out?”

“Sorry Viney, I’m actually waiting for a couple of my friends. OH! I should probably ask you if it’s cool that we use the Room of Shortcuts for a meeting.”

“Oh and here I thought we were meeting in the detention room.” Willow’s voice came from the doorway. Puddles looked up in surprise, before pecking at the bag around Viney’s waste and pulling out a Healing track glyph. He walked over calmly and placed it on Willow’s stomach before letting out another screech and sitting down, looking pleased.

“Sorry about him. He gets a little over-eager sometimes.” Viney laughed as she moved next to Puddles to scratch his head-feathers affectionately. “Next time wait until we know something’s wrong, ok buddy?”

Puddles cooed. 

“Ooooh. Maybe he sensed something was wrong with me before even I knew it.” Willow suggested, her eyes growing wide. She pat her belly a few times. “Oh. Wait no, it feels just fine. For now at least.” She continued with a wide smile.

Willow peeled the glyph off of herself and handed it back to Viney who snuck it right back inside her bag.

“This one of your friends that’s going to be in the meeting?” Viney inquired, glancing back at Luz. “She’s cool. I like her.” 

“You also like Gus too! You’ve met him once before, when we took down that basilisk.”

Everyone shuddered at the mention of the beast that had attacked their school.

“Oh right. He’s the little dude. I swear I see him multiple times a day. He really gets around doesn’t he?”

Willow and Luz looked at each other with a knowing smirk. 

“Those are just his illusions. He keeps them going around school to take classes for him.” Willow explained helpfully. 

Viney blinked in surprise. 

“Oh. Dang. That’s impressive. Well I don’t see why you can’t use the secret room Luz. After all, you are a fellow troublemaker. I trust you.” Viney nodded approvingly. 

Willow raised an eyebrow as Luz cheered. 

“Oh awesome! Thanks so much Viney! I just felt so bad because yesterday we tried meeting in Amity’s secret hide-out and I was honestly surprised the door didn’t break with all the people going in and out, not to mention that that’s _her_ secret place an-“

“Wait, wait, wait. Amity… Amity Blight? She’s meeting with you guys too? Luz do you know how many of us she’s gotten tossed into detention with her perfectionist attitude? Heck she even rats out her own sibling’s if it makes her look better in the teacher’s eyes.” Viney growled, glaring at Luz. 

Luz's eyes widened as Willow mumbled under her breath.

“Here we go…”

“Well. I know Amity has been a real bully in the past. She’s really dedicated to school, and honestly the Top Student badge means maybe a little too much to her, but that makes sense. She’s worked _REALLY_ hard to get where she is. It doesn’t excuse her actions in the past, and I get that, but she’s trying to be better.” Luz rambled on in a rush. She couldn’t explain the sudden desperate need to make Viney see the truth. To see the real Amity, not the one she put on for show, the one that her parents tried sculpting her into. The one who was sweet, and considerate and brave...

“You just have to get to know her. She’s actually really nice, and smart and yesterday I even got her to make a pun!” Luz added quickly.

Viney glanced down at Willow. “Is there… is there something going on there?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.

Willow sighed heavily. “Not at this rate.” She replied plainly, closing her eyes and shaking her head. 

Luz stared at them both in confusion. She ignored the aside the two had and looked up at Viney with wide pleading eyes.

“I promise I’ll watch her. I know how much the shortcuts mean to you. I wouldn’t bring anyone in there that I didn’t trust.”

Viney laughed and gently patted Willow on the back supportively. “Alright, whatever you say Luz.“ She caved as she rolled her eyes, suddenly surprisingly understanding. 

“Anyways, I better get going. Got to get Puddles back to his nest.” Viney winked as she turned to leave. 

The pair’s path was blocked however as Gus and Amity both strolled into the room, Amity’s eyes widened as she saw the stranger. Viney watched with mild interest as Amity uncomfortably shuffled next to Luz.

“Luz… who’s that?” Luz heard the green-haired witch whisper out of the corner of her mouth.

Before Luz could answer, Puddles let out a loud screech. He began clawing at the bag on Viney’s hip with determination. Viney glanced down in confusion at her friend. 

“Puddles? What are you doing?!” She asked as the griffon managed to rip the bag completely off of her body and tore through it. 

He pulled out a rather large healing glyph and began to march towards Amity, who instinctively backed into Luz. Luz, alarmed at the sudden behavior from the both of them, placed her hands on Amity’s shoulders and pulled her back as Puddles advanced. 

The griffon screeched again. 

Gus and Willow pushed their way around Viney as the older girl stood there in shock. The two friends attempted to intercept the griffon, Willow grabbing a seed from her pocket and tossing it on the ground as she cast a web of vines to hold the griffon's feet. Gus meanwhile cast multiple illusions of Luz and Amity spread across the room. 

Puddles screeched loudly as he rapidly tore free from the vines with his sharp beak and claws. He braced himself against the floor as he beat a powerful gust of wind from his wings, dispelling all the illusions in the room with the blast. Having destroyed all the obstacles blocking his way, Puddles continued his march. His beady bird eyes trained on Amity.

Realizing that something was wrong, Luz stepped quickly in front of her friend. 

“Puddles, buddy, what are you doing? We’re friends right? You can trust Amity, it’s ok.” She said gently, spreading her arms out to the side to block the griffon’s view of Amity completely. She didn’t know why Puddles was suddenly so focused on the witch, but Luz didn’t like it. It wasn’t like the griffon to ever be aggressive, and the human could tell even from her few classes that she took that he wasn’t about to attack. Still the look in his eye and the determination in the way he prowled forward made Luz hesitate. Regardless of the reason why, Puddles was on a mission.

“Luz… what is happening?” Amity asked fearfully from behind her as Gus and Willow prepared another pass at the griffon. 

Viney’s eyes widened. 

“Wait!” She shouted suddenly. “Luz, let Puddles see her.”

“What?!” Amity snapped. 

Luz tore her eyes off of the griffon to stare at the older witch. Viney’s green eyes pleaded with Luz to trust in what she was saying. They both glanced down at Puddles who had now stopped directly in front of Luz and was growling quietly

Luz looked up at Viney once more. The witch nodded at her slowly. 

“Ok.” Luz said quietly. She lowered her arms and calmly stepped to the side.

“Luz!” Amity shouted fearfully as Puddles launched himself at the witch. 

Amity closed her eyes as she braced for the worst. The entire room held it’s breath as they watched the griffon gracefully spread it’s wings to slow it’s advance as he gently set the glyph against Amity’s face. Landing with a confident coo, Puddles prowled back towards his master, pleased with another job well done.

Amity slowly peeled open her eyes. She tapped her face, her eyes wide as the glyph glowed a light blue. For a second Amity’s face seemed to shift. Luz could’ve sworn she saw the effects of 2 different spells ripple across her features. A flash of an angry purple mark that was mostly hidden behind the paper appeared and disappeared with the ripple as Luz watched, transfixed. She blinked and suddenly everything was normal again. The glyph slowly peeled off of Amity’s face and fell to the floor, its magic spent. There was no mark. There was no bruise or ripple and Luz began to fear that she had just imagined the mark that looked somehow... familiar.

Amity patted the side of her face gently, her eyes wide. 

“Puddles. You can’t just…” Viney sighed heavily. “You can’t just stalk someone like that just to try and heal them. You’ll scare them to death first.”

Puddles chirped happily at her as he picked up her fallen bag and handed it back with his beak.

"You alright?" Viney asked, looking at Amity. 

Amity blinked, working her jaw slightly. She glanced at Willow with wide eyes. 

"I'm... fine." She said softly before whipping around to glare at the older witch. 

"No thanks to that stupid bird of yours. Do you normally have it attack people? Or do you just have that little control over it?!" She snapped. 

Viney raised an eyebrow at Luz, but the human was already taking care of things. She put her hand gently on her friend's shoulder. 

"Amity... I know Puddles scared you, but he wouldn't have hurt you. He helps Viney out with her healing track work." She said kindly, staring at Amity who refused to look at her. 

"I wasn't scared." The witch retorted quickly. Too quickly.

Luz laughed and wrapped an arm around Amity's shoulders and faced the rest of the group. 

"By that she means she's sorry for snapping at you." Luz chuckled. 

"Luz." 

"Yes?" 

"Don't speak for me." Amity growled, her face flushing red as she looked at Luz's long arm wrapped around her. Gently side stepping out of the embrace, Amity crossed her arms as she looked to Viney. 

"I'm sorry. Next time please tell your bird,"

"Puddles." Luz interjected.

Amity sighed. "Tell _Puddles_ , to make sure there's actually something wrong with someone before attacking them with healing magic."

Viney looked down curiously at the used healing glyph that had fallen on the floor.

"Righhht." She drawled slowly. "I'll be sure to mention that."

The older witch moved to ruffle Luz's hair affectionately. 

"Alright kid, I'm heading out. You're free to use the room as you see fit. I'll catch you in class tomorrow, yeah?" Viney asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"Hopefully!"

Viney moved to Puddles side and nodded at him. He cooed at Luz and moved to follow as his master headed towards the door. As the multi-track witch passed Willow she patted the witch on the back supportively. 

"Good luck with... all of that." She laughed to the plant witch, as her and her griffon left. 

The sounds of Puddles’ claws echoed on the tile floor. As they faded down the hallway, Luz turned to Amity with a grin.

“So… did you ask her?"

***

Luz sat on the step, twisting her pencil around in her hands. She was staring down at her notepad, looking over yet another attempt at redrawing the glyph that the Bat Queen had given her. It wasn’t just that she feared she was doing something wrong, it was the fact that no matter how close the glyph came to being an exact copy, the instant Luz touched it, the lead from her pencil seemed to melt entirely away from the paper, quickly ceasing to exist entirely.

It wasn’t normal. Usually she went through dozens of crumpled up papers before she got a successful spell to work, but with each failed attempt the paper became a clean slate once more.

It wasn’t just frustrating, it was worrisome. Luz desperately wished she could try the glyph that the Bat Queen had given her, just to see how it worked. She knew the importance of the Bat Queen’s help though, and once again pushed the thought aside. 

Luz took a deep breath and tapped the glyph again. It lit up dimly, sparking a seed of hope in the human’s heart but as the light spread across the entire circled design, the crisp outlines started to blur and fade. Within seconds the glyph had disappeared. 

Luz shuffled the notepad back into her bag with a sigh. The Secret Room of Shortcuts was silent. Willow and Gus had left a short while ago and it was just her and Amity left alone in the massive space. Luz looked up at Amity. The witch was currently pouring over the map that Lilith had drawn for her.

Luz thought back to the meeting. After she quickly summarized her meeting with the Bat Queen and what the giant palisman had revealed, Luz gave them all a rundown of the second vision she had witnessed from Belos’s eyes. They were all equally horrified, Gus looking ready to vomit a few times. 

Luz only really had eyes for Amity though. Her reactions worried her the most. The witch seemed to shut down completely as Luz recounted what she had experienced. Luz wanted to ask if she was ok more then just a few times. She knew however, that if she had stopped mid-recount that she would either forget a detail or two or would lose the heart and focus to continue sharing. It was something that had always bothered Luz as it had bothered others who had known her in the past. The way her peers always seemed to get frustrated with her taught Luz that she had better focus on one thing at a time, or risk annoying the people around her.

It didn’t seem to matter as Amity never spoke a word until they had moved onto the planning phase for the castle. It was only then that the witch became truly talkative. Amity had multiple ideas for just how they were going to get down to the chamber that Lilith believed could possibly hold the portal. Having visited the palace multiple times with her parents on various trips, she had almost a scarily specific approach in mind. 

They now had a plan. It was shaky, and everyone agreed they needed to give it more time, but it was still a plan. Before Luz was meant to return to the human world and her mother, the group of 4 would infiltrate the castle and steal the portal back. Everyone had agreed that not only could they not trust their parents or caretakers to help, but that if they did help, they would be put at risk. 

It made Luz’s heart twist, not including Eda or King, but without Eda’s magic, the Owl Lady was at a huge disadvantage. Luz couldn’t risk her getting captured again.

Couldn’t risk losing her or King.

Luz blinked slowly. Her body felt shaky. Anxious. Her fingers flicked the pencil in her hand ever faster as she sat there, her mind racing. 

The idea of Eda and King and the Owl House in general brought another worry to the forefront of her mind. 

“So. Lilith just… gave her palisman up. No fight or anything.” Luz said, breathlessly as her worries escaped her mind and aired themselves.

Amity straightened up and looked over her shoulder to stare at Luz with curious eyes.

“She did. It’s something all witch’s who join the Emperor’s coven must do apparently. Not that they have any idea that when they do surrender their palismans, that they would be held captive in his own personal twisted menagerie.”

“I can’t… I can’t believe that. Even if you didn’t know, that’s your friend you’re giving up. That’s a creature that you created! You shouldn’t be able to just… leave them.” 

“I know Luz.” Amity said softly, turning back to stare at the doorways ahead of her. Amity moved to put the map away in her own bag as the room fell into quiet. Luz attempted to process the knowledge once more. Amity had told her that Lilith paled as she recounted how she was asked by Belos, after her official joining ceremony to relinquish the raven palisman that rested atop her staff. 

Luz’s mind flashed with the image of the sad avian that rested so lifelessly in the elegant birdcage on Belos’s desk.

Roc. His name was Roc.

“Would you have?” Luz asked suddenly, peeling her eyes away from the ground to stare once again at Amity. The witch turned to her with a raised eyebrow.

“Would you have given up your palisman?” Luz repeated.

Amity’s face fell. Her eyes rested on the ground.

“Before, had I never met you… I probably would have. My future was always so set in stone. Joining the Emperor’s Coven was almost a given. I _had_ to achieve it. By the time I did finally make it in… I probably wouldn’t have even thought twice about releasing whatever palisman I had made. Whatever creature I had bonded too.” Amity answered sullenly.

Amber eyes met Luz’s brown ones.

“But then I met you, and you threw everything out the window. As you usually do.” Amity smiled weakly. 

Luz heard her heartbeat in her ears as Amity continued to stare at her, with those gorgeous amber eyes. 

Wow. 

_Amity had some really pretty eyes._

Luz blinked a few times as her brain caught back up. 

”Wait. I don’t throw that many things out the window.” She pouted.

“Oh yes you do.” Amity said matter of factly.

“Since you’ve been here you’ve helped make Willow more confident in herself, convincing her to change her track and connect to our peers more. You’ve changed Bump’s mind about multi-track studying, destroyed detention, heck, you’ve even domesticated the Owl Lady! The most famous criminal of the Isles. She’s chaperoning school dances because of you!” Amity laughed, spinning on the ground to fully face Luz as she brought her knees up to her chest and held them in an embrace.

“You’ve completely flipped magic on it’s head. Not only proving that humans, creatures who are born without any magic whatsoever, can perform and cast spells at an even higher level then some fully grown and trained witches, but using an ancient form of forgotten magic to accomplish it. You said it yourself. It doesn’t come naturally to you, but you never let it stop you from trying. You never let anything stop you from trying…” Amity continued. 

The witch fell silent as she clutched her knees even closer to her chest, her eyes left Luz’s and focused on the ground. 

“You didn’t even let me stop you. Even with as awful as I was to you.” Amity said quietly. 

Luz’s eyes widened. Amity was sitting there… complimenting her. It didn’t seem right. Yeah, Luz had done some of those things, but they definitely weren’t as great as the witch was making them out to be. The warm words made Luz even more anxious and restless. 

“Let’s go for a walk.” She said suddenly, standing up almost immediately as the urge to move overtook her body. 

She held out a hand to help Amity up. The witch looked at her and a small blush spread across her face.

“Ok.” Amity said softly, taking the invitation.

Luz pulled her to her feet, but didn’t let go of her soft hand, keeping it clutched fully in her own as they moved towards the exit.

For the first time since Luz had known Amity, the witch didn’t let go either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What the heck even is this chapter title oh my gosh guys, I need _help_.
> 
> So a couple of things, I really, _really_ like this chapter. The whole scene with Viney and Puddles was never planned. I originally just wanted to set up a new environment because Luz planning the meeting in the Room of Shortcuts and not at the library was 90% her being considerate of Amity’s space and 10% the author just being absolutely fed up with being at the Library, WE SPENT SO MANY CHAPTERS THERE. We weren’t even supposed to visit it to begin with!!
> 
> Annnnnyways, while I was setting up Luz waiting, Viney just... kinda popped into the story. Then the scene unraveled from there. I got so excited as it played out, and I knew it needed to be kept in, even if it pushed back some of the other things I had originally planned for this chapter. 
> 
> Could it be that Amity may finally be catching a break?
> 
> Secondly. These kids... they be so cute. That’s all. I do wonder where Luz is going to take them though. “A walk” is very vague topic Luz. It’s a good thing Amity is completely on board with pretty much anything you suggest.


	30. A Walk in the Twilight

Amity felt like she was floating. 

Luz was carrying one of her crutches over her shoulder while her other hand was wrapped tightly around Amity’s own. It made for an awkward start, Amity desperately attempting to look cool and collected while rapidly trying to teach herself how best to balance using only one crutch. 

There had been times before that Luz had taken her hand, but this felt different. Amity’s heart hiccuped in her chest in an unpredictable pattern as her mind went fuzzy. Before there had always been someone watching, somewhere to go or something to do. But, now, as Amity silently followed behind Luz, there was no one to watch. No where to go. 

No reason besides a small comfort to keep holding hands. 

The young witch felt like puking.

Luz was quiet as she led them out of the school, her movements rushed and jerky. Amity could feel her anxiousness as they began walking along the backside of Hexside and into the wooded clearing behind a small neighborhood. Amity recognized it as the “woods” that her and Willow used to explore when they were younger, Willow having grown up in the neighborhood nearby. It didn’t seem to bring the same comfort to Luz as it did to Amity. The young witch wanted to take the lead, wanted to share with Luz all the little hiding spots she had discovered when she was younger, the fun her and Willow used to have climbing the trees. She stayed silent though, knowing Luz needed to keep moving. It was something Amity had noticed shortly after she really started giving the human her attention. Luz was almost constantly on the move. Whether it was simply doodling in class, or fidgeting as she read, Luz couldn’t hold still. 

It always seemed to get really bad when something was on her mind.

Amity looked ahead of her at Luz’s face. The sun had begun to set on the Boiling Isles as the evening came to an end. The golden light illuminated the hazel specks littered in Luz’s brown eyes and made her features look all the more soft. Her feathered short hair blew gently in the wind and Amity once again felt the urge to run her hand through the soft locks as they caught and reflected the fading light around them. 

The witch felt her face flush and she looked down at the ground. 

No. The last thing Luz needed was Amity helplessly crushing on her. The human had so many other things to worry about. It was evident in the way Luz pulled them both onward. 

They passed through the woods fairly quickly and Luz led them into the neighborhood. As much as Amity wanted to protest, as there could very well be guards or Coven members prowling around, she stayed silent. Luz needed this, and Amity wasn’t about to complain about spending any amount of time she could being there for her friend. 

Being with her. 

Instead she simply squeezed Luz’s tan hand softly, feeling her nerves get the better of her as they walked down a quiet road lined with small houses. Luz seemed to pause for just a second, her pace slowing. Her eyes turned to face Amity and she gave a small, weak smile, nearly knocking the wind out of Amity.

_Cute._

Amity felt her hand being squeezed tighter, Luz reassuring her without saying a word. From then on, Luz’s pace slowed. The nervous energy emitting from her calmed as Amity watched the girl ease into a stroll, falling in line with Amity rather then leading her. 

As they turned off the street they were on, the pair found themselves in a small market place. There were a handful of small stalls still open as many more were packing up for the night. Luz led them through, her ease becoming more and more apparent with each step. Amity saw the small smile turn into a genuine grin as Luz passed by several people who recognized her and waved. Luz didn’t hesitate to wave back, with each interaction being followed by a small squeeze of Amity’s hand. 

The witch’s heart struggled to keep up. 

Luz seemed to fit right in, many of the stall owners having recognized her from their dealing’s with the Owl Lady. Amity smiled as she watched the human light up every time she was greeted. It seemed so natural. Luz seemed so happy.

Amity’s heart twisted, a cold dagger of ice entering it as she walked.

There was something Luz didn’t notice. Something she couldn’t have, and something Amity hoped she wouldn’t. The stares were not lost on the young witch as they passed groups of family and friends. Their whispers echoed in her ears.

_“What’s a Blight doing here?_ ”

_“Quickly, put away the supplies, don’t let her see it. Who knows how long it will be before she calls for the Coven and Guards.”_

_”Why would Luz bring her here? A Blight doesn’t belong here… she’ll only bring trouble._

Amity’s shoulders bunched around her ears. She kept her head down. She wished they would be quieter, or waited until Luz had passed fully out of earshot. It was one thing for the witch in question to hear the words spoken in harsh whispers behind her back, but Amity didn’t want them to ruin Luz’s moment with the small truths they held. 

She may not belong here, but Luz did.

***

The evening faded into twilight as purple light replaced the golden rays of the setting sun. They had passed through the neighborhood and had almost circled back to Hexside, ending up in the woods behind the school and behind The Owl House. Amity no longer felt anxious or nervous and instead relaxed with Luz as they took each step together. Their hands had not once come apart. Luz seemed confident now in where they were going, often turning around and grinning at Amity, causing the witch to almost stutter in her stride and trip each time.

Soon Amity began recognizing where they were headed, and glanced up above the treetops to look for familiar pink petals.

She felt her face flush as Luz guided them back to the spot where they had danced. It seemed the human purposefully avoided approaching the tree from the angle they had on the night after her fight with Belos. Instead Luz led them both to the other side, the one that led to the small cliff that overlooked the Boiling Sea. The waves crashed into the rocks below as the tide came in for the night, and Amity suddenly felt the overwhelming urge to run.

It was too romantic. 

Did Luz even realize?

They stopped for the first time since the two had left the school. Luz turned to Amity. 

“I’m… sorry. I didn’t mean to drag you all around. But don’t worry! I have something that may make up for it. I want to show you something! So… stay right here, ok?”

Luz squeezed her hand. Amity nodded silently, her mouth unable to move. The amount of emotions she felt swirling around threatened to smother her entirely. Luz smiled at her and all of them went out the window. 

Amity’s mind blanked. 

Luz squeezed her hand once more, and Amity wondered if the human was as reluctant to let as go as she was. 

Nodding, Luz’s hand left her own as she returned the witch’s crutch back to her and darted off into the woods. Before she was completely out of sight Luz turned back and waved.

“I’ll be right back!” Amity heard her yell as the human disappeared into the trees. 

Now alone, her hand feeling cold and empty Amity’s mind straightened itself out. The nerves of her crush gave way to a shiver of true fear as her foot began to ache slightly from the walking they had done. The pain reminded her of the events of earlier. She reached up and cupped her face. There was still no pain. It filled Amity with a dread she couldn’t begin to describe. As much as she didn’t want it to, this evening would end. Amity would have to return home. 

Taking her phone out of her pocket, she used it’s blank screen to look at her reflection. She cast a small levitation spell on it as she drew yet another spell circle with her index finger. 

The spell completed and Amity glanced down at the soft purple glow now dimly illuminating the tip of her finger. Looking around quickly to check for Luz, Amity brought the light up to her face. 

Her heart jumped in her throat as the revealing spell cut through her mother’s illusion to reveal the darkened bruise that lurked underneath.

The mark was still there. The glyph had only erased the pain. 

Amity felt like crying in relief. She didn’t want to imagine her mother’s fury, her disappointment if Amity had come home fully healed. Didn’t want to imagine the punishment she would receive for not bearing her pain. For erasing the weakness she had meant to grow from.

Amity’s eyes closed as she felt the fresh sting of tears prick at the corners of her eyes.

The witch heard a small crash followed by a sharp gasp as a familiar, quiet, voice spoke up from behind her.

“I knew it…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A much warmer walk then the ones the sisters took ALLL the way back in Chapter 3. I told you that it seemed like Amity was finally catching a break and I tried to deliver. I wanted this chapter to be warmer then the previous ones, focusing heavily on Amity and Luz’s relationship to one another and the Isles themselves. Luz may have found a place where she belonged on the Isles, but Amity...
> 
> Well let’s just say that without Luz, Amity is still very much lost in the world she was born into.
> 
> I tried a few things with this chapter, and I don’t know how they turned out. Firstly I tried to relax on the dialogue, letting Amity’s thoughts and her observations really push the scene forward. If you want, you can imagine that once Luz had finally relaxed that they may have held a conversation or two, but that’s up to you. I also tried leaning into my own experience with ADHD here as well. Movement has always relaxed and helped me straighten out my own mind, and I imagine that it goes the same with Luz as well. We kinda get a glimpse of that in Enchanting Grom Fright too, as Luz leaves The Owl House to take a walk when Eda first teases her about fighting Grom. 
> 
> But I guess I better address the ending and the reason I specifically cut this chapter short.
> 
> It seems like someone finally has proof of just what Amity has been hiding. 
> 
> _See y’all next update~_
> 
> (ALSO REAL QUICK BEFORE I GO. I realized that the last few chapters have been missing a certain something... AMITY’S CRUTCHES. Oh my gosh those things are going to be the fricken death of me. So. Since I am big dumb, and can’t be trusted to always write them in, please assume that if I don’t mention them, they’re just there. In the background. Not being important. Cool? Cool. Thank you and I’m sorry.)


	31. Embrace

Amity's eyes snapped open. 

No...

"That's why Puddles came after you, I _knew_ I saw something. Yesterday in the library and today as well, when you activated the healing glyph." Luz voice continued shakily behind her. 

Amity dropped her hand instantly and her phone fell to the ground as her concentration broke. She whipped around. 

Luz was standing only a few feet away. At her feet, in a heap on the ground lay a canvas and some art supplies. Luz stepped over them as she approached Amity, her eyes wide. The witch watched as Luz's hands started shaking. She was looking at them as she walked forward. 

"I convinced myself I was imagining things, that I was too tired, because you would tell me right? Why didn't you tell me? Amity why would you keep this a secret?!" Luz said, coming even closer and dramatically looking up and into Amity’s eyes. 

Amity backed up at the sudden movement, caught off guard, her body reacting on instinct. Luz caught on to the reaction immediately. Horror filled those wide eyes as Luz stiffened.

Amity suddenly desperately wanted to comfort her.

"No, Luz... please. Just forget what you saw alright? I'm ok, I'll be fine!" 

"Fine?" Luz echoed hollowly. 

Amity watched as Luz slowly began to fidget in place. Guilt twisted like a knife in her chest. The hopelessness in those bright eyes killed whatever warmth was left of the walk they had just taken. Amity wanted to take it all back, she wished Luz didn’t see what she had seen. That her friend could’ve just kept convincing herself that it was simply her imagination.

That she could’ve given her just one day, just one evening that wouldn’t go so horribly wrong.

"Cast it again." Luz said suddenly, jerking Amity out of her thoughts. 

"What?" 

"Cast it again. The purple spell thingy. I want to see it." Luz repeated. 

Amity's hands clenched. She hesitated. Perhaps there was still a chance. Still some way for Luz to go back, to not know the truth. The truth Amity now faced. What her ‘future’ had turned to.

"Please..." Luz's voice cracked, the confidence she had just a second ago in her demand fading quickly.

It was enough to break Amity’s resolve. Closing her eyes tightly she felt the magic gathering at her finger tips. Easily recalling and casting the spell from earlier. She could see the glow through her closed eyes as she brought the hand closer to her face.

Luz gasped softly. 

_"Está tan oscuro..."_

Amity suddenly felt a soft hand graze her face. It‘s touch was so gentle it reminded Amity of her mother earlier that day. A shudder of pure fear ran through her body, nearly launching her away from the contact. Her eyes snapped open as she lurched backwards, dropping her hand and releasing the magic. 

Luz was standing there, her arm still outstretched, looking mortified. 

"Amity!” Luz yelped, uncertain of whether or not to move forward after her. ”What happened?! Does it still hurt?"

Amity felt herself rapidly shutting down. Now even her mind couldn't tell the difference between Luz's gentle touches and her mother's manipulative ones. It was too much. She had let someone see her weakness. Even if Luz would never use it against her, it didn't matter. 

Amity looked into Luz’s eyes. The girl was shaking.

Someone still got hurt because of it.

Mind still blank, Amity adjusted herself and turned to leave. She couldn't bring herself to speak. Her mouth wasn't working. It was time to go home. She had already ruined Luz’s night. There was nothing left stopping her. 

A hand caught her wrist. 

"Amity, no!" Luz pleaded from behind her.

The witch flinched. Why couldn’t Luz ever make anything easy? 

"You're not going back. You... you can't." The human continued softly. 

The witch's heart broke. 

"I have to..." Amity said sullenly, finally finding her voice past the knot in her throat. 

"No... NO! You don't. You don't have to. You don't have to put up with their abuse!" Luz argued, releasing her grip gently as she slid down the witch's wrist to grasp her hand. 

Amity let the human take her by the hand to face those brown eyes once again. The darkness of twilight shadowed Luz's face, but those eyes held a shine that couldn't be dulled. Looking into them was almost harder then looking away. 

"Luz. This is a magic world. My parents _will_ track me down. No matter where I go. I _have_ to go home. Or things will get worse."

Luz looked down in thought, "Then... I have to go with you." 

Amity's heart stopped. Her mind stopped buzzing and cleared. Fear took over and Amity struggled to free her hand, desperately yanking it back. Luz’s grip never loosened as she held Amity almost completely still. 

_How was she this strong?_

"No!" Amity snapped fearfully. "Luz you can't!!"

Luz stared her down. Amity felt her urge to fight quickly leaving. She pulled once more weakly at her hand, but again, Luz’s grip didn’t budge.

The sounds of water hitting the shore reached Amity’s ears and with each crash her resolve weakened more and more. She felt Luz’s grip loosen. Her thumb rubbed the back of Amity’s hand comfortingly. It felt warm. 

That was different. Her mother’s hand had been cold. 

Luz was different. She had always been so incredibly... warm.

"You can't. You don't understand…" Amity continued, her fear returning to repeat 3 words over and over in her mind.

_Luz can’t know._

"Then tell me. Tell me what I don’t understand.” Luz said softly. 

Amity could see it in those wide, bright eyes. The determination to melt the ice that had suddenly formed around her friend. 

Amity blinked. She felt the cold fear leave slowly. Concentrating on the warmth of Luz’s hand, Amity felt the numbness fade away as her mind cleared for the first time in 2 days. 

She no longer felt her mother’s influence.  
No longer felt the pressure of obedience from her father.

Amity looked into Luz’s eyes and took the invitation. 

Lurching forward and unhooking her hand, Amity wrapped her arms around Luz. The human didn’t hesitate, she pulled Amity into a tight hug, not just wrapping her arms around Amity, but turning her shoulders in, lowering her head, encompassing Amity so completely, as if she could protect her from anything.

“I’m sorry.” Amity choked out, her eyes squeezing shut. She didn’t know what else to say.

Luz was quiet, she stood there and held onto Amity as if her life depended on it.

The twilight turned into night as the girls fell to the ground in their embrace. 

Suddenly it didn’t matter that Amity had to go home. Deep down, she knew that fact hadn’t changed. There was something that had however.

Amity wasn’t alone. She didn’t want to be alone. She didn’t want to push anyone out anymore. She wanted to keep this freedom, this clarity in her mind. 

She wanted to stay in Luz’s arms.

“Don’t apologize.” Luz’s voice came softly from above her. “I’m always going to be here Amity. I won’t leave you alone. I won’t leave you alone to face them anymore.”

Amity couldn’t speak. Her heart lurched in her chest as her eyes clenched tighter.

The sounds of the ocean echoed in her ears as Luz’s breathing slowed and relaxed. 

“I’m here, I’ve got you…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short short short. I know. I’m sorry!! The next chapter will be longer I sweaaaarrr. I think it was better that I didn’t leave you all hanging on this one though. (I actually originally wanted to make this one longer and include the next scene into it, but Amity needed this moment to heal and I wanted the impact of this to have it’s own place and time.)
> 
> Hooooo boy. I’ll tell you what I wasn’t expecting the reaction I got on the last chapter. At all! I thought for sure you all knew exactly who it was. 
> 
> Honestly here I was thinking this was one of my more soft cliffhangers, despite the anticipation of what everyone was waiting for. I don’t know if I delivered, because you guys wanted this more then I thought you did. I just want you to keep in mind, that nothing is solved as of this moment. This is just one, very broken kid, finally finding someone she can open up to.
> 
> _We are just getting started._
> 
> Y’all. I may be giving Amity a break now, but that doesn’t mean I’m about to give you one. If that last cliffhanger killed you... well, all I have to say is:
> 
> Good luck~


	32. Fall

"I'm going to fight them." Luz announced suddenly. 

The two girls were sitting under the large cherry blossom tree, having moved from the spot that they had collapsed on once Amity was able to move again. Luz had summoned a couple of large light glyph’s to light up the canopy under the tree and the glowing orbs were floating peacefully above them. It felt safe, being against the tree, their backs to the world. Just them two, alone, facing out into the ocean.

It was a nice spot, a nice view, but if Luz was being honest with herself though, she wished they hadn’t moved. The human wanted to hold Amity longer, as if her arms could somehow make the the girl feel safe again. It was the first time the witch had ever reached out to her so directly, and it was all because Luz had failed her. Her stomach turned over as a shiver ran up her back. Luz was surrounded by a horrible sense of guilt that she could be so oblivious. That she could let Amity get away with being hurt for so long. 

Luz stood up, unable to cope with the emotions swirling inside of her. She felt truly sick. She had listened supportively as Amity was, finally, fully truthful about the events of the Blight Household the last 2 days. The way she spoke, so despondently, so disconnected from what had happened, it set off a chain reaction in Luz. 

She started pacing. The images of just what she wanted to do to those horrible, awful people marching side by side with her anger that she felt burning inside of her. The initial horror had faded. Luz wanted to do something.

"Ohhh. I'm going to smack them so hard with magic, and Eda's staff, and then maybe my own fists…" 

“Luz you can’t just fight my parents.”

Luz barely heard her friend as her anger built up.

"They wanna watch me huh? Well they can watch me beat their-"

"Luz!" Amity yelled sharply, genuinely startling Luz out of her fury as she stopped pacing.

Luz turned to face her friend. Amity was leaning up against the tree, her head back and staring up at the gnarled thick branches that weaved in and out it’s canopy. The lights danced a few feet above her, highlighting the hazel roots of her hair. Luz’s eyes drifted down to Amity’s face.

She looked so tired. 

“You can’t just fight my parents.” Amity sighed.

Luz shivered. Although she knew it wasn't currently visible, the outline of the handprint on Amity's face haunted Luz's mind like a ghost. 

The force needed to create a bruise that dark, that clear…

She felt her hands curl into fists. 

"I'm not going to sit back and do nothing!"

"Luz it's not an option. They think of human's like some sort of animal. You'd get hurt, or worse." Amity pointed out quietly, ignoring Luz’s outburst, still staring up at the branches. 

“So what? They think of me as an animal? Well then I’ll just have to show them how hard I can bite.“ Luz shot back threateningly.

Amity laughed, her eyes closing as she chuckled. Luz stared. Her mind cleared of it’s turmoil for just a moment as she listened. A smile fought it’s way through the rage that clung to her face. Luz felt herself relaxing as she listened… she loved Amity’s laugh.

“Oh I fully believe you would bite someone-”

“I have.” 

Amity blinked, her train of thought stopping suddenly. She stared at Luz as the human grinned back at her. She rolled her eyes, trying and failing to hide the smile on her face, her small fangs biting at her lip to keep it hidden.

“I don’t want to know.“ Amity said coolly.

Luz smirked. She slid in next to the witch under the tree once more, nudging her gently.

“Oh I think you do.” Luz teased. “You would find it funny. I got him like, _really_ good. Right on the ankle.”

Amity snorted and quickly covered her mouth with her hand. 

“Aside from that,” Amity coughed. “I doubt biting my parents ankles would actually solve anything. You’re still wanted Luz. My parents work for Belos, you go and confront them and you risk getting caught.” 

“So? What’s my other choice? Just let them keep hurting you? That’s not an option.” Luz shot back.

“I can handle my parents! I made a few mistakes. My mom caught me lying, I should’ve known that wouldn’t work. I know what to watch out for now.” 

“You only lied because of me…” Luz said softly, her guilt coming back in waves. “I shouldn’t have made you go to the library with me. You could’ve been home in time…” 

Luz felt a hand on her knee. When she looked up, Amity was eyeing her sternly.

“Don’t you dare start with that Noceda.” She growled. 

Amity shifted closer and rested her hands on Luz’s shoulders. Luz couldn’t think of a word to say as she met with steely amber eyes. 

“You didn’t do a thing, ok? This?” Amity’s hand left her shoulder briefly to gesture at the side of her face, “This wasn’t caused by you.” 

Luz let her words actually take root. It was clearly important to Amity that Luz wasn’t blaming herself. It didn’t feel exactly right, but that wasn’t an option right now. Looking into Amity’s eyes, Luz gulped.

“Ok. So it’s not my fault. That doesn’t mean I get to be happy about it.” She pouted.

Amity laughed softly. “I suppose not.” 

A moment passed and Amity’s grip on her shoulders suddenly grew tighter. 

“Luz please don’t get involved. I don’t… I don’t want them hurting you.” The witch pleaded with her in a quiet voice. 

Luz scowled. Hurting her? How long had their toxic views been hurting Amity? How long had they pressured her to be something she wasn’t?

Luz felt her eyes begin to burn. 

She blinked a few times, thinking it was just her emotions finally catching up to her.

The pain didn’t fade. It became increasingly more agonizing. She jerked away from Amity to rub at them as she yelped in pain. Her body buzzed with energy, but a wave of exhaustion hit her out of nowhere.

“Luz? LUZ!” Amity’s voice seemed so distant, as if she was yelling from across a cliff. Luz could barely hear her as she attempted to open her eyes back up.

_“What’s going on? Talk to me!”_

The words were a distant echo as the human’s consciousness slipped away from her.

***

__

_Luz awoke once again to the throne room. A cracked palisman lay in her hand as she stared at it. She felt herself shudder as she took each laborious breath. Her hand curled rapidly around the wooden husk, shattering it in anger. Scattering the pieces to the ground, she looked up._

_Kikimora was standing just slightly to her left. Her one visible eye was stretched in concern._

_“My liege? Is everything alright? You still seem… strained.” She asked gently._

_“Everything is fine Kikimora. The connection I share with the titan has been extra strenuous as of late.” Belos explained coolly._

_The assistant shifted uncomfortably._

_“It seems that ever since your encounter with the human you’ve had a more difficult time.” She continued, her voice cold and calculated._

_Luz’s heart skipped a beat. Even though she knew she was just an observer, she felt seen. A shiver ran down her back as they stood in the stillness of the large room._

_“Hmm… perhaps you are correct. I’ll be taking my leave now. Check in with the Warden. I would to know how his ‘assignment’ went.”_

_Luz blinked, now becoming accustomed to the strange feeling of Belos’s teleportation. Looking around she appeared to be a bedroom of sorts, lavishly decorated in white and golds. The room was massive, large enough to contain its own small living area with a couch and a table. The massive windows that lined the far wall let in very little light that Luz assumed had to be from the glow of the courtyard. Belos’s breathing was still labored. Clearly the bile had not been enough._

_Something was wrong. She could feel it in her body, she could sense it._

_“I should not be this drained.” She heard Belos mutter._

_Luz felt herself stop and still._

_“Hmm…” His deep voice echoed in the large empty room._

_The stillness filled her with anxiety, her body didn’t even twitch, it barely breathed._

_She blinked and once again she was filled with that awful sensation of being put back together. They were in a different room this time. The tile flooring, and bright light indicated a washroom of sorts. Looking around confirmed this, as there were towels hanging up on the wall beside her._

_Before she could fully worry about what she was about to witness, Belos turned around. His head leading, turning before his body even began to shift in a terrifying and ethereal feeling. Luz didn’t have time to feel sick. The image in front of her terrified her to the core._

_She heard rather then felt Belos speak._

_“There you are, **Little Human**.” He chuckled lowly. _

_In a large, decorated mirror hanging over a sink, Luz's eyes widened in alarm. It wasn’t Belos looking back at her from the reflection._

_It was herself._

_The Luz that was in front of her was in the same position as Belos, her posture mirroring that of the Titan Whisperer, but her eyes conveyed a very different emotion._

_They were terrified._

_They were trapped._

_Belos held them both still, despite the human’s attempt to twist and squirm away. To move at all. To move away from his eyes, her eyes. The reflection or the ones she was seeing that reflection out of._

_“Fascinating. This seems to explain much."_

_Her reflection grinned in a cold way. Luz watched in horror as her hand reached up, Belos’s hand in her peripheral, mirroring it’s movement._

_"However… it’s my turn now.”_

_As the hand was brought up to her face, she felt herself once again slipping away. Her vision fading and blacking out. The image of her own fearful eyes burned in her brain as she was taken away._

*** 

Luz woke up to a pounding headache. She was looking up into the canopy of a large tree. It’s pink petals seemed to be from a different world as she struggled to remember where she was. She became suddenly aware that she was laying on someone’s lap. Pale hands rested on her stomach, curling their fingers into her shirt as they gripped it tightly.

_“Hmmm. And where do we find ourselves now?”_ A familiar voice echoed around in her throbbing skull. 

A cold shiver crept up her back. 

“No…” Luz said aloud, the feeling of her mouth moving reminding her that she had control. She had control... but Luz could feel another presence with her. 

Her vision grayed, everything taking on a much less colorful hue. 

It was familiar. Too familiar. 

“NO!” Luz exclaimed sharply, realizing just what had happened. 

It was Belos. He somehow was here with her. 

The pounding in her skull. 

The voice.

“Luz?!” Amity’s voice came from above her. 

Luz slammed her eyes closed and sat up rapidly, the hands that were wrapped around her quickly coming loose, unprepared for the sudden movement.

“No, no, no, no!” She exclaimed, shoving her face in her hands. 

Luz couldn’t let him see her. 

“Luz?” Amity asked quietly, the fear in her voice evident. 

She felt a hand on her shoulder.

_“Oh? And who would this be?”_ Belos inquired amusingly from inside her mind.

Luz fought to gain control of her mind, to push through the pounding of her brain, to think of what she needed to do. It was difficult. How was it possible that Belos could even function with her seeing through his eyes?

“Don’t… don’t come near me! I… I can’t see you right now!” Luz stammered through her hands, keeping her eyes clenched tightly shut. 

Her first job needed to be keeping Amity safe. 

The hand retracted from her shoulder.

“What’s wrong?! What’s going on?” Amity pleaded from behind her. 

_“Exactly my question, human. Come now, you should know there is no keeping secrets from **me**.”_

Luz felt her hands grow heavy. They were moving away from her face. Against Luz’s will, her hands dropped limply into her lap. With growing horror, Luz felt her face began to move. To turn. 

_“NO!”_ Luz bellowed, fighting the control Belos had suddenly cast on her. It was difficult, like moving against wires that had suddenly attached themselves to her limbs. 

She felt some of them snap as her desperation grew. Taking advantage of the brief respite from the control, Luz launched herself up and onto her feet. She finally peeled open her eyes as she began sprinting. The darkness that surrounded her made it difficult, but Luz didn’t care. She felt the ground under her feet give way a little bit with each powerful lunge of her legs. The wind whipped through her hair and she heard it whistle past her ears as she darted to the nearest line of trees she could find. 

_“How weak your body feels… is this what it’s like to be a creature without magic?”_ Belos taunted her.

Luz continued running, her breath quickening. Her heart added to the pounding in her head, but above all of that she thought she heard something she feared more. 

"LUZ?!!!"

Amity was following her. Of course she was.

_"How pathetic."_

Luz skidded to a stop in front of a rather large and very dead tree. 

She needed to hide. If she kept running she could run into something or someone that could tip Belos off to where she was at. 

Who she was with. 

"Get out of my head." Luz growled. 

She looked up. The dead tree in front of her had long, thick branches evenly spaced out across its trunk. About 10 or so feet up, their dead barren ends stretched into the nearby foliage of it‘s neighbors. 

_"I don't think I will quite yet."_

Luz's eyes narrowed. Those branches could work. They could hide her, and they could hide Belos's eyes. 

Luz started climbing, every movement she made echoed painfully in her skull. Her legs and arms felt like they were under water. It was different from the time Belos had tried taking control. This felt different. Like she was sharing her body with something else. Something cold and stiff. 

She had to break about 5 feet up. She was exhausted and panting, every inch of her body hurt. Luz began to hear foot steps come from nearby. 

"Luz!!" Amity's voice faintly called out from amongst the trees. 

Luz's heart twisted. She knew Amity was worried. After just having opened up, Luz felt awful for leaving her alone. For not being able to answer her. 

_"Resisting is fruitless. Even if you succeed in hiding from me today, I can come back. I **will** come back."_ Belos echoed in the back of her head. 

Luz felt herself becoming heavy once more. Her grip on the branches loosening. Her head turning once again towards the sound of Amity searching for her.

_"Give in little human."_

Luz dug her nails into the bark. Painfully reaching up and over her head she climbed higher, her eyes focused on her objective. 

Hide Amity from Belos. Hide his eyes from seeing around her. From using that information for his own gain. 

It was even harder then before. Every movement her arms made felt like she was pulling against a rubber band, ready to snap at any moment. She fought harder, lifting herself up yet another branch.

Luz chanced a glance down.

She was higher now, about 8-9 feet up. 

"Luz, where are you?!" 

Amity was much closer. Luz could hear the clacking of her crutches with each footstep. 

Luz threw all she had into climbing another branch. She could rest when she was hidden. She scrambled across the final branch she had climbed, heading for the needles and foliage of the neighboring tree, when she heard Amity gasp sharply from somewhere underneath her.

"Luz! What are you doing?! BE CAREFUL!" 

Shocked, and caught off guard by how close she finally was, Luz slipped in her concentration. She lost control. 

Belos seized his chance.

Her head grew heavy and turned itself to face the ground. 

Amity was standing below the tree, staring up with wide fearful eyes as she watched Luz balance precariously on a branch.

Luz felt her chest tighten in fear and horror. 

_"Ahhh. So that’s what you were hiding."_ Belos mused in her head. 

Luz couldn't turn away. Couldn't close her eyes. Couldn't move. Her body was paralyzed in place.

_"Well. I suppose it's time for me to take my leave."_ Belos said suddenly. 

Luz felt her body lurch to the side dramatically. Her hands, controlled by Belos, let go of the grip they had on the branch. 

_"Oops. Guess you weren't careful enough."_ Belos's voice chuckled in her ears as Luz plummeted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Update** : For anyone checking back here for whatever reason. I probably won't be able to post a new update for about a week. I'll be moving places come the 1st, so any extra time I have that I usually write in will be spent packing instead. I know it sucks to leave on such a bad cliffhanger and I don't think I've ever gone a full week without updating so I'm sorry! If you want some good news though, I have written down all my ideas for the next few chapters so once I'm writing again they should go fairly quickly. 
> 
> ***
> 
> Ohhhh boy have I been waiting for this scene. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Luz would definitely be the type of person to bite.
> 
> I myself, have also bit.
> 
> *insert joke here about how horrified Luz was to be in Belos’s bathroom*
> 
> I’m very tired haha. So short, and frankly strange chapter notes this time. I promised a longer chapter, and I hope I delivered. I’ll see y’all next update~


	33. Pile of Goop

Luz’s body hit the ground with a nauseating crunch. Amity stood there in horror, her half finished spell circle fading into the night air as it remained un-cast. 

She wasn’t fast enough.

How could she not be fast enough?

Amity was frozen, she held her breath waiting for Luz to move. To get up. To brush it off like she did with every other injury she had.

Luz however, never budged. She didn’t move an inch. 

The witch forced herself to move forward, her eyes trained on the crumpled form of Luz, lying horrifically still on the ground in front of the tree.

Every step she took seemed slower then the last. It wasn’t that bad of a fall, right? Amity didn’t look up. She couldn’t bring herself to see the height of the branch Luz had fallen from again. 

Couldn’t bring herself to see the image of Luz’s fearful eyes.

Amity fell to her knees beside Luz, laying a hand on the girl’s shoulder. Luz’s breathing was shallow and hitched. 

“Luz?” Amity asked, her voice cracking as the human lay motionless on the ground. Unresponsive. 

Human’s were fragile. Amity knew this. Luz knew this.

So why was she climbing that tree? Why did she run? 

Why did she look so _afraid?_

Amity gently rolled Luz over, pulling her carefully into her arms. Staring down at Luz's face, the girl had her signature bright, wide eyes closed tightly. Her tanned face was flushed and drenched in sweat. There was a gash running down the length of her cheek. Amity held Luz closer, nuzzling her face into the girl’s shoulder, unable to keep looking down at that unmoving expression. Her heart clenched in fear as her hands gripped Luz's shoulders tighter. 

This was the position she had held Luz in earlier. When her eyes began glowing blue once again. Was that why she was so scared? What did she see? What did Belos do that haunted her so?

_Why did she run?_

"Luz, come on. You've got to get up..." Amity whispered in her ear as she felt the tears well up in her eyes. 

***

Luz was in darkness.

It was familiar. It was… cold. There was nothing here in this space, but Luz still couldn’t concentrate. Whenever she tried, all she saw were flashes. 

Pale hands holding her. An elegant bedroom with large windows. A dark forest. A reflection in the mirror. A laugh that made the rest of the world seem brighter… and a laugh that sent shivers down her spine.

There were 2 separate experiences that ran almost side by side. They were different, Luz knew this, yet they blended together in this dark empty space. Luz couldn’t remember which belonged where. 

Which belonged to her. 

Luz struggled to focus. Thinking too hard caused the darkness around to encompass her more. It was getting heavier. Her skull thudded dully in pain. Luz was exhausted. It took so much to even remain aware of herself. 

This must’ve been the drain Belos had experienced. It was why his demand for the palisman’s bile had increased. To deal with the strain that sharing minds caused on one’s consciousness. People weren’t mean to share mind space.

There was one difference between Luz and Belos though. Luz was merely human. She had no magic that could help her cope with the toll. 

She had nothing but this emptiness. 

Luz was left alone in the dark, waiting to wake up.

 _“Noceda.”_ A familiar voice growled from somewhere in suffocating blackness.

The voice’s irritated and determined snarl was almost comforting. A respite from the nothingness that surrounded her. Luz leaned into the sudden and surprising warmth it brought her.

 _“Don’t you dare give up on me here. Not on your life, remember?”_ It rumbled again. 

The saying was familiar. It carried something special with it. It sounded like it could’ve been used in a tease, but there was a seriousness in the words that left Luz with nothing but determination.

Determination to return.

Luz found the darkness retreating. She wasn’t done yet. There was someone waiting for her. She wasn’t alone.

***

Amity was tired. Her eyes felt heavy, her mind sluggish. She never felt more powerless. After all the human had been through, Luz was still, somehow, always there for her. Amity just couldn’t seem to keep up.

Now Luz was lying unconscious in her arms.

It was apparent that this was something much worse then just a nasty fall.

Despite the sweat dripping down her face, despite the warm night air, Luz felt cold. Her body was stiff in Amity’s arms. 

A shiver of fear snaked up her back as she held onto the human even tighter. This was because of Belos. The witch just knew it.

“Noceda.” She growled lowly, feeling the frustration she had for herself bubble up in her throat. 

It wasn’t just anger at herself, it was irritation. Irritation at Belos, at the Isles, at everything that had ruined the moment, the safety Amity had somehow found for herself. Despite her fear, despite her nerves, Amity was having a wonderful evening, just spending it with Luz. It wasn’t meant to end. At least not yet.

“Don’t you dare give up on me here. Not on your life, remember?”

Amity’s hand’s clenched even tighter onto Luz’s shirt, bunching it up in her fingers. She imagined Luz’s warmth as the girl wrapped her in an embrace. As if she could block the entire world away. Imagined her face as she grinned about biting someone. 

Luz stirred, barely moving. 

“Amity?” She mumbled quietly.

Amity stared as soft brown eyes looked up into her own. They could barely focus, but there was recognition there. Luz gave her a small smile. 

“No me doy por vencida." Luz said softly in a foreign language. 

Relief crashed down on Amity’s shoulders. The witch didn’t understand, having never heard that language before, but the words felt familiar. Or maybe it was just the way Luz spoke them, so sincerely.

Luz took a breath, only to wince and cough, her eyes clenching tightly shut and her body tensing in pain. 

”Oww… everything hurts.” Luz moaned, seemingly annoyed by the inconvenience. 

“That's what happens when you fall out of a tree, dummy.” Amity chuckled weakly, blinking back the tears in her eyes.

Luz opened her eyes again and looked back up into the amber ones that were gazing at her softly. Amity had to fight back panic that threatened to over take her. 

Luz's eyes were cloudy, the brightness in them dulled. The human was barely with her. Amity's heart lurched in fear as Luz's eyes cleared for just a moment.

Those wide brown eyes were filled with fear. The same fear that she had looked at Amity with earlier, when she was clinging to the branch...

“I didn’t… I didn’t fall.” Luz said slowly. 

Before Amity could think or register what that could mean, Luz shifted, attempting to stand up. She yelped in pain and went stiff in Amity’s arms. 

“Don’t move!” Amity chastised her sharply. 

Hearing and seeing Luz in such distress cleared the witch's mind almost instantly and set her body into motion. Her pale hand moved in a swift circle. 

“Abomination, rise!”

Luz chuckled, her eyes closing as her chest moved up and down shakily in laughter. 

“Hey... I might be a mess, but there's no need to call me names.” Luz grinned sleepily. 

“Luz...” Amity growled, secretly relieved that Luz could still be making jokes, but plenty peeved that the human insisted on still teasing her despite the circumstances. 

She focused instead on the summoning of her Abomination as it rose from the circle she had casted towards the ground. Luz needed help and quickly. There was no way Amity would be able to carry her back herself. 

"You never let me have any fun.” Luz grumbled as Amity guided the purple creature towards them.

“Yeah, yeah. Try not to move.” Amity whispered softly as she gently maneuvered herself out from under Luz. 

Amity stumbled to her feet after gently laying Luz down on her back, the human wincing in pain as she was lowered flat on the ground. Now free, Amity concentrated on commanding the creature she had summoned. Her words echoed with the magic she had coursing through her.

“Abomination, carry.” She spoke clearly, emphasizing the unspoken details through the power she had used to create it. 

The abomination slowly lumbered towards Luz and bent down awkwardly to pick her up. 

“Gently!” Amity yelped as the creature attempted to scoop Luz into a bundle. It froze almost instantly, as if sensing it’s master’s distress and quickly corrected it’s posture. 

Luz looked up at the pile of purple gunk with a raised eyebrow. 

“Is that thing really solid enough to car-“ She asked, before swiftly being interrupted by the abomination gently lifting her into it’s arms. 

Amity grinned, limping over to Luz with her crutches.

“Top Student here, remember?” Amity smirked. “It might be goop, but it’s reliable. At least it always has been for me.”

Luz smiled sheepishly. “Right.”

“Abomination, follow!” Amity commanded, letting her voice relax just a bit as the command issued became simpler. 

They walked in silence. Amity desperately trying to remember the path Luz had cut through the forest. They needed to make it back to the grom tree, from there, Amity could get Luz to help.

The witch looked over her shoulder and her heart jumped into her throat. As Luz was being carried limply in the arms of the abomination, her eyes were lulling. Their normal color and light dulled ever more as she barely was able to keep them open.

“Luz!”

“Hey Amity, I’m pretty tired.” Luz mumbled quietly.

Amity’s heart stopped. 

“No. Luz you can’t fall asleep. Talk with me, ok? Tell me about the thing you wanted to show me. At the tree?”

Luz didn’t respond right away. 

“Come on, you said you had something to show me. Right? You dragged me out into the middle of the forest to do it.” Amity prompted nervously, struggling to keep her voice steady. 

Luz didn't need her to panic right now. 

Luz’s eyes fluttered and became wider for just a second. “Oh right. I wanted to tell ya something too…” She mumbled.

“Well now is the perfect time to tell me. It’s just you, me and a pile of sentient goop.”

Luz laughs weakly.

“Hey, that’s _your_ pile of goop. You summoned it.”

“No. My pile of goop is in it’s arms. After that fall you're not much more then a human pile of goo."

Luz laughed again, it sparked hope in Amity, making her feel lighter as the sound reached her ears.

“I am goop, aren’t I? I just don’t think you want responsibility for me.”

“Too late.”

“But I’m weird…” Luz said dejectedly. 

Amity scowled. She had seen glimpses of Luz’s self deprecation before. It had never gotten easier to hear. It worried her now that it was clear Luz was tired and hurt, probably seriously, that the girl seemed to default to it so naturally. 

"So? Eda and King are weird too. That's why you love your little Owl Shack, right? Weird isn't a bad thing." Amity paused, thinking about the words that seemed to rush out of her mouth.

"Everything wonderful is weird." She said softly.

Luz was quiet. Amity looked behind her once again, fearful that the human had fallen asleep. What she saw almost worried her more. 

Luz was staring at her, those gorgeous brown eyes clearer then Amity had seen them since she woke up. 

"You don't mean that." Luz stated quietly, breaking the eye contact and looking up into the tops of the trees. 

Amity bristled, but before she could retort, Luz continued, explaining herself. 

"Weirdness is something you're supposed to fix. It's why I couldn't ever just stay in once school, or why I couldn't ever just fit in. It's why my mom sent me away..." 

Amity's hands clenched. Hearing the despair, the resolution, in Luz's voice hurt. This seemed so out of character for the girl who was always so confident. The witch knew she was completely serious. Luz believed these things about herself. 

Somewhere, deep down, Luz believed she needed to be fixed. 

Amity looked ahead of her, unable to keep staring. Her pace quickened and she felt the strain of magic as her Abomination matched her pace. She wanted to stop, to take Luz into her arms and convice her how utterly wrong she was to feel that way, but she had to keep moving. 

Luz was barely holding on. The clarity faded from her eyes almost as immediately as it had appeared. She had begun to shiver, and with each shuddering movement of her body, her eyes clenched tightly shut in pain. 

"That's not true Luz." Amity said after a small pause. "I hate that people have made you believe that..." She growled lowly. 

Amity chanced a glance over her shoulder. Luz was curling in on herself, very clearly in pain. 

"I'm cold Amity..." She groaned. 

Amity's heartrate picked up as she struggled to somehow move even faster through the forest. It didn't take them this long before, right?

"I know. You've got to stay with me, ok? You still haven't told me what you wanted to show me." Amity reminded her gently.

"You'll think I'm weird. I probably was going to scare you off."

"Not going to happen. Just tell me."

"I uh... you know how you have the library? I... go to the tree. Our tree. And I draw or paint. I was actually in the middle of painting our dance..." Luz laughed weakly before Amity heard it turn into a painful burst of coughing.

"You looked so happy that night. I wanted to show you how it was coming along." Luz continued after she had caught her breath back. 

Amity felt her shoulders tense. The heat was back in her face as she felt herself blushing. She clenched her eyes tightly shut, fighting back the giddiness that rose in her chest. 

Luz had remembered that night too. It had meant something to her...

The witch heard Luz groan from behind her. It was shaky and weak. 

"This sucks... I'm so tired." Luz complained to the trees. 

Amity opened her eyes. Several feet in front of she saw the large, gnarled trunk of the Grom Tree. She pushed aside her feelings. This wasn't the time to get lost on sentiment. 

"Almost there Luz. Just a little further."

The only sound echoing in the quiet forest was the squelshing noise of the abomination as it walked and Amity's own footsteps. 

This quiet felt different. 

"Luz?" Amity asked.

There was no response, no groan of pain or shaky breath. 

Amity turned around. 

Luz had her eyes completely closed. The girl's breathing was short and shallow. Despite being steady, it seemed to shudder in her chest as she took each pained breath. Luz had fallen unconscious.

Fear gripped Amity's throat. Her quick pace turned into a near sprint as the Abomination groaned to follow her. 

Amity knew where they were. It wasn't far, she just hoped Luz could hold on a little longer. 

_Eda would know what to do..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who’s back~  
> Anyways, not fully moved so chapter updates may still be just a _little_ slower then they were, but I am settled. So once again my nights will probably just be me writing with a cat on my lap.
> 
> Chapter note time! Beta title for this _Suffocating Swarthiness_ , because for some reason the internet seemed to think that was a good word to swap for darkness...
> 
> I um, don’t know how I feel about this one to be honest, I hope it isn’t a clunky as I feel it is. I wrote this in very small snippets over a couple of days, not all in one sitting like I usually do.
> 
> We just setting up though. Looks like we’ll _finally_ be checking back in with Eda though. Poor woman. First her kid nearly gets killed, and now her kid nearly gets killed again.


	34. A Healing Brew

“Get her on the couch kid.” Eda ordered Amity sternly, seeing the witch just standing there in concern.

“King, find that traitor Lilith and tell her to get in here, now. And stop by the hall closet to get the rest of my potion ingredients!” She yelled up the stairs before quickly rushing over to a nearby closet and diving into it.

Amity followed her instructions without word, ignoring the squeak of panic and crashing that came from upstairs. Only moments ago, she had approached the Owl House from the woods, Luz unconscious in her abomination’s arms. The demon tube had raised an alarm before she was even able to see the house itself.

Eda had been waiting for them.

Now the Owl Lady was tossing apart her closet, dragging out a rather large cauldron with some difficulty.

Amity guided the abomination to the couch and had it gently lay Luz down. The girl didn’t stir once, even with all the noise and chaos happening around her. Amity let her magic fade as the monster disintegrated into a harmless pile of goop that quickly vanished. The witch had to catch herself on the coffee table as she felt the exhaustion kicking in. Her ankle throbbed, and she could feel the strain that the magic had taken. Amity blinked slowly as she looked down at Luz. 

The human's breathing was somehow getting even shakier and Amity's ears twitched as they picked up the sound of it rattling in her chest.

Eda dropped the cauldron near the couch and brushed quickly past Amity to kneel down by Luz.

“So. What happened?” The wild witch asked plainly, while checking Luz’s forehead. “I know I didn’t let her leave the house an exhausted crumpled mess.”

Amity straightened immediately as she was addressed. Looking to the floor she tried thinking of the best way to go about telling Eda the truth, without telling her everything. She was saved from explaining by King dropping a bundle of ingredients to the floor behind them.

“Luz?” He asked tentatively. His yellow demon eyes were wide in fear as he gazed at Luz’s prone form.

Eda dragged a hand along her face and turned to the little tyrant with softened eyes. “The kid’s in a bad way buddy, but that’s what I’m here for, right? So. What’d you bring me?” Eda promoted him gently, bending down to pick up the materials he had dropped.

King’s eyes didn’t budge off of Luz. 

“Hm… blue dartwing, imp stool, swamp warbler egg. I’m not sure if we should use butterfly wing or a blue mountain flower though. King, did you manage to fetch that loser sister of mine or am I going to have to send Hooty to go track her down? As gross as it is to admit, she would probably know better then me.” 

Amity flinched as a brown blur shot past her head.

“Oooooh! Do I get to go fetch my dear friend Lily?!” Hooty hooted in his shrill voice.

The grating noise of his excitement was enough to break both Amity and King’s stiff stance. Yellow demon eyes, and amber witch eyes both shot each other a look as Eda stroked her chin in thought.

“There’s no need to fetch anything. I’m right here. What is all the fuss about anyways?” Lilith asked, holding the back of her head as she dragged herself into the living room.

“Hoot Hoot!” Hooty yelled triumphantly as he shot across the house and wrapped Lilith up, delivering her, none to gently, directly to Eda’s side.

“I found her!” He tooted triumphantly before slowly receding back into the door. “Don’t worry, you can thank me later.”

Eda smacked her face as Lilith glared daggers at the house demon. Straightening out her now frizzled hair, the former coven witch, looked up from where she had been plopped down, and caught eyes with Amity. Her eyes widened.

“Amity. What are you doing here?” Lilith asked, her alarm evident.

“Lily I swear sometimes you are denser then a box of rocks. Would you turn around and help me out here?” Eda snapped none too kindly.

Amity watched as Lilith bit back a retort by scrunching her face into a scowl before whipping around to face her sister. Amity knew exactly when Lilith had seen Luz from the way the older witch's shoulders and back completely tensed as she froze.

“Now, kid, as I was asking you earlier, what happened? I need to know what I’m trying to treat here!” Eda continued as she turned to the green-haired witch.

Amity looked to the ground. She had to be honest. The reactions of the Clawethorn sisters were serious. Luz was in trouble. The young witch swallowed hard.

“Luz… she’s been dealing with a side effect we think. Something she picked up from her fight with Belos. It’s made her-“ Amity trailed off for a moment.

What could she even say? 

_It’s made her see through his eyes? That the horrible things Belos has done these last few days, Luz had been there to witness it all? That it’s made her so scared and stressed, despite her best efforts to hide it, that she can't really sleep or sit still?_

Eda couldn’t know the full truth.

Something in Amity’s mind screamed at her about how stupid this all was. How they shouldn’t be keeping secrets, when all they could hope to gain was help, but Amity peered once again around Lilith to Luz. 

Luz would be worse off if Eda knew and tried to do something. Clenching her fists, a voice in her head reminded her it probably couldn’t get much worse then what had already happened. Ignoring it, Amity looked straight at Eda.

“It’s just made her more tired then normal.” Amity lied. “She was climbing a tree earlier and fell. Had to have been around 10 feet. I was able to keep her awake for a little bit, but she fell back asleep shortly before we made it here.” She explained curtly, letting her mind go blank as she recounted the facts.

If she allowed herself to think more about what had happened, the sound of Luz’s body hitting the ground, or the way her eyes were so terrified as she looked down at Amity…

The young witch closed her eyes tightly.

“Mental exhaustion and physical harm.” Lilith summarized in a cold calculated voice.

Amity opened her eyes and saw Lilith looking over the ingredients that were still spread out on the floor, while Eda watched over her shoulder, her pale, bony hand gently resting on top of Luz’s head.

“We’ll have to treat the physical harm first. Human’s are fragile, who knows what a small fall of 10 feet might do to their insides.” Lilith continued, picking up a couple of ingredients from the pile and holding them out to Eda.

“Well I know that much, _Lilith_ , I did take the potions track in school after all.” Eda growled as she took each item gently and piled them into the cauldron next to her.

“Yeah, but how many lessons did you actually attend?” Lilith grinned back at her, handing over yet another ingredient.

“Enough to know that a white cap doesn’t belong in a bodily healing potion.” Eda growled again, shoving the ghostly mushroom cap back at her sister.

“Well, I can’t help it if you don’t have a pantry full of basic components at hand.”

Eda frowned, she peered over her sister and looked once again at the items King had grabbed. “King is this really all that was in the closet?” She asked gently.

Amity glanced over at the little demon king. He hadn’t budged an inch since coming into the living room and seeing Luz. He barely even registered Eda's question as he remained quiet and still. Seeing the little guy, standing there so obviously distraught and concerned prompted Amity to finally move herself. She limped painfully over to him, relying heavily on her crutches. Setting one against the couch, she braced herself as she went to scoop him up in her arms, like she had seen Luz do many times.

As soon as King was in her arms, she knew something was seriously wrong with him. His normal haughty and argumentative behavior seemed to be a far cry away from the pitiful creature in her arms as King curled into her chest and held onto Amity tightly.

“Right. Well, he won’t be much help for awhile. And neither will you, _Limpy._ ” Eda pointed out, looking directly at Amity with piercing eyes. “How about you two go keep Luz’s room warm for her while we fix things up down here.” She offered gently.

Amity immediately tensed. The thought of leaving Luz sent a shooting rapid panic throughout her body.

Lilith blinked and looked up, as if sensing Amity’s fear. “Amity Blight, you are still injured as well. You cannot do anything more for Luz then what you have already accomplished. You brought her here to have us help correct? Then let us deal with this.” Her former mentor stated assertively.

King curled further into Amity’s arms. The young witch felt her fingers dig deep into his fur as her mind wrestled with it’s conflicting emotions. She looked once again at Luz.

Amity sighed heavily. Luz wouldn’t want her to push herself.

Feeling the weight of her failure on her shoulders, Amity nodded slowly.

“Let’s go wait for Luz upstairs, ok buddy?” Amity whispered gently to the little demon.

King softly nodded into her shoulder as she turned and hobbled up the steps. Amity glanced down one final time at the older witches who were now bickering over the human’s unconscious body.

The Clawthorne sisters were 2 of the most powerful witches on the Boiling Isles, known for causing untold damages and performing magical feats that were regarded as nothing short of a small miracles.

Amity just had to hope that they could make something as simple as a healing potion effective enough to take away Luz’s pain…

***

Amity stared at her phone, already dreading the message she was about to type. She knew what it would entail, she knew how it would be received. What it could mean for her in the future. Her hands were clamped tightly to the device in fear.

Gulping, she pressed send.

\- _Going to be home late again tonight._

Almost immediately she received a response. It was from Emira.

\- _Again Mittens? That doesn’t seem like such a good idea. Remember how angry mom was the last time?_

_\- I have no choice. Something… came up. I’ll be home as soon as it’s taken care of._

_\- Oh. I get it. ;D_

_\- You only get this serious about one thing…_

Amity froze as she once again found her face burning.

_\- I have no idea what you’re talking about._

_\- Luckily for you, it looks like Mom and Dad are still at work._

_\- Take good care of her Mittens._

_\- Me and Edric will cover for you as long as possible._

The young witch sighed. Of course her sister didn't understand what was going on. Regardless, it was nice to know she wouldn’t have to worry about her parents. At least for the time being. The witch went to put her phone away, but as she was setting it to the side it went off once more.

Fighting back a small flicker of fear, Amity checked the sender. It was Edric.

_\- Have a nice date~_

Amity flushed crimson. Without thinking she chucked her phone across the room at the pile of blankets in the corner. It landed with a soft thud. Reminding herself that she needed to actually breathe, Amity took a deep breath. She looked softly down at King, who was currently curled up in Luz’s otter costume.

The witch wished she didn’t have to go home. To not have to walk into the large, empty halls of Blight Manor and wait for whatever her parents decided needed to happen to her next. Amity would never dream of impeding on Luz’s newfound family she had here, but in her heart something twisted.

Amity just wished she could find a place that felt like home.

***

“Alright kid, the potion seemed to do it’s thing. All of Luz’s injuries from the fall should be healed. She’s still resting, but me and Lily decided to try and tackle whatever exhaustion she’s facing the old fashioned way. Good ole R and R. You can go see her if you’d like.” Eda smiled sleepily from the doorway.

Amity barely heard her. In a flash she summoned her crutches to her side once more as she stood up shakily. The witch felt her foot twinge in pain as she was barely able to stand up straight. Running through the forest earlier had really taken it’s toll. Limping forward, Eda held an arm out to stop her.

Amity peered up at her in confusion.

“Not so fast, _Limpy_. I may not know exactly what is going on, but it seems you have taken it upon yourself to take care of our little ball of light. Trust me, I know firsthand how much of a task that can be. And I know you can’t be much help if you’re stuck gimping around everywhere.”

Amity felt her ears droop. She nodded respectfully. She knew she had failed Luz tonight. It made sense that Eda would want to correct that.

“Stick your hand out.” Eda ordered.

Amity obeyed wordlessly, looking at the ground. She felt something being gently placed in her hand as Eda moved past her into Luz’s room. The young witch looked up in shock at the vial of liquid that was now in her hand.

Amity whipped around to face Eda.

“Yeah, that’s from the same batch as the potion we made for Luz. That foot has had plenty of time to set. The potion should help get rid of any pain or injury. You’ll be good as new in 7-8 hours.” Eda explained, scooping up King into her arms.

The little demon groaned in annoyance, but Eda simply scratched his back and soon the tyrant was back to snoring softly. The wild witch finally turned around and looked at Amity.

The Owl Lady smiled warmly.

“Don’t say I ain’t never done nothing for you.” She winked as she brushed past Amity once more. As she disappeared down the hallway, Amity heard her chuckle lowly. “And it should only take a couple of minutes. Probably best to drink it before going down those stairs.” The older witch called out over her shoulder before Amity heard a door shut.

Amity looked once again at the vial in her hand. It was gold in color and glowed softly. It reminded Amity of Luz’s light glyph. It was bright and warm. It offered safety. Amity gripped it tightly. She didn’t know what would happen to her if her mother found out. There was more then one injury that Amity had just accepted she would have to suffer through.

Eda was right though. Amity wasn’t any use with an injured leg.

And Luz was waiting for her.

Uncorking the cap, Amity closed her eyes as the liquid slipped down her throat.

***

“Amity?”

The witch was immediately alert. Practically jumping up from the spot she had taken on the ground in front of the couch, Amity stood to face Luz. The human had her eyes squinted shut as she woke up slowly.

Amity grabbed her hand.

“I’m right here Luz.” She said in a rush, emotions overflowing as she saw Luz wake up once more, this time without any pain.

Luz’s hand immediately tightened around Amity’s own in a crushing embrace as Luz launched herself up into a sitting position. Fixing Amity with a wide-eyed stare, Luz’s breathing picked up in panic. Amity didn’t have a chance to ask what was wrong, the fear in Luz’s eyes was so intense it took away any words she might have had. She looked like a cornered animal, the terror almost wild and feral in her stance.

“He saw you.” Luz breathed quietly. “He knows. Amity… _Belos knows about you_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DID IT. I HAVE RID MYSELF OF AMITY’S CRUTCHES. _**AAAGHHHHHHHHHH.**_
> 
> Seriously, nothing has ever felt better. We’ll see the possible consequences of my actions later, but for right now. Let’s just be happy. Luz is healed, Amity is healed. All is good. 
> 
> Well. Amity still has to go home. And Belos still lurks out in the dark... or more terrifyingly, in the back of Luz’s head. Oh boy, these kids can just never catch a break huh?
> 
> Shout out to anyone who recognizes the reference I used for the ingredients. I originally wanted to put a bunch of traditionally obvious “bad for you” ingredients in the healing potion because that is just perfectly Boiling Isles. But I ran out of time to come up with them. I figured I may as well spit ball this chapter out tonight because... well it’s something to look forward to in the morning. Or at least I hope it is.


	35. Su-it-case

"What do you mean he knows? Luz?" Amity questioned, completely serious. The joy in her eyes at her friend finally waking up was quickly vanishing, replaced by the same fear mirrored in Luz's own.

Luz unraveled her hand from Amity's and brought it up to her face. She didn't feel any pull or pain, and let out a sigh of relief. It was just her. She focused on her hand for a second longer, moving her fingers up and down and clenching her fist. Her breathing slowed as she reminded herself she was in control. 

"Luz?" Amity prompted her again. 

Luz felt the same panic as she had earlier the second Amity's voice reached her ears. The same horror. It was only a flash, her body reacting to the memory of when she was in the woods, before it was gone. _Belos isn't here,_ Luz reminded herself. 

Taking a deep breath, Luz faced Amity again, this time fear didn’t cloud her vision. She felt a rush of relief staring into those exhausted amber eyes. 

It didn’t seem to make the words that came out of her mouth next any easier.

“I’m so sorry, Amity. I didn’t want to run from you, or worry you. I just wanted to sit there and be with you, you know, fearless champion style. But Belos… he…” Luz stuttered.

Amity grabbed at her hand and held it tight. Luz felt the panic that was building retreat once again as she focused on just how warm Amity’s hands were. 

“Hey, hey.” Amity called her attention softly. “Deep breaths for me, ok champ?”

Luz stared at her. It was clear Amity was worried. Even if her calm voice didn’t have a catch in it, the way her pale hands clenched tightly to Luz’s own gave away the witch’s true feelings. 

Amity was scared too. 

“He found me. Belos did. There was a mirror and instead of his reflection it was just… me. Suddenly I was trapped and he did his stupid hand thing and I was back and in your lap. Only I felt, like, really heavy. And oh titan, my head hurt so bad. Then I heard his voice, and it was like he was inside my head. He heard you and… and…” Luz yanked her hand back away from Amity’s as she clenched both of them tightly in her lap. 

Luz despised the way she felt. 

So… powerless. 

Luz’s felt her fist hit the back of the couch. She didn’t miss the way Amity’s eyes widened as the witch recoiled ever so subtly. It didn’t matter. Luz couldn’t stop now. Amity had to know the truth. 

“He can take control of me Amity. I tried fighting him, it didn’t work. I tried running, but he was so determined to see what I was hiding. I saw the tree and started climbing. I didn’t expect you to follow. I didn’t expect you to be so close. I lost control and he took it.” She spat out bitterly, still staring at her hands. 

Remembering how they just let go.

“I didn’t fall.” Luz echoed the same sentence she had earlier.

The human finally tore her eyes away from her hands as she glanced at Amity. The young witch was staring so intensely at the floor that Luz feared it might catch fire.

“You mean, Belos, when you were running, and when you woke up… he was with you?” Amity slowly pieced it together. 

Luz nodded. 

“So when you were up in that tree…”

Luz clenched her eyes tightly shut. 

_Oops. Guess you weren’t careful enough._

She felt herself begin to shake. Suddenly there were hands on her shoulders. They were warm and comforting, but it didn’t take Luz long to realize that they were shaking too. She opened her eyes and looked at Amity. 

Amber eyes bore into her with a fearful expression. 

“Luz… this is serious. You weren’t going to wake up.”

“I came back though. I remember hearing you. You were mad.” Luz chuckled half-heartedly. Her mirth was quickly dying under the unrelenting watery eyes of Amity.

“Of course I’m mad! You fell out of a tree! You could’ve died!”

“But I didn’t.” Luz felt herself grin. “So, I’m getting a little too old to climb trees. I guess I needed to face that fact eventually.”

Amity groaned, those ambers eyes finally breaking the lock they had on Luz’s own as the witch rolled her eyes.

“I can’t believe you.” She sighed. 

“Aw you missed me, didn’t you?” Luz teased, unable to fight the warmth that spread through her body as she let the fear she had earlier in the night fade in Amity’s hold.

“Yes. And I’m regretting it. I promise.” The witch groaned. “Can we please talk about maybe getting some help now?”

Luz felt the warmth drain from her immediately. Her eyes flicked across the room she was in. It didn’t occur to her before that she was in the Owl House. The familiar decorations brought her back to reality as she looked over her shoulder at the large wanted poster that hung proudly on the main wall. 

_Wanted: The Owl Lady_

Eda. Her mentor. The woman she had sacrificed her way back to her own mother for.

“No.” Luz’s voice felt cold in her throat. The word just barely skating past her lips.

“This is beyond our control! If Belos can take control now, what’s to stop him from hurting you again?” 

Luz barely heard Amity’s voice as her head swirled. All she saw was danger in the once familiar and comforting room. Belos may not have been around, but Luz could only see through his eyes. 

“We should go upstairs.” Luz said quietly.

“Luz, did you even hear me?!” Amity snapped. 

Luz finally turned her eyes to face her friend. She watched as Amity’s determination withered away as she stared into the human’s wide eyes.

“Please.” 

Amity blinked, before nodding slowly.

“Ok.” She agreed without hesitation. Luz watched her stand and hold out a steady hand.

Luz paused. There was something different about the way Amity stood in front of her. Her mind retraced what she had just watched, trying to figure out what she had missed. What had seemed so off.

_Her face._ Luz realized with some shock. There was no pain. No wince, no wobbly balancing act. 

Luz’s eyes instantly traveled to Amity’s leg. The witch stood on it confidently, her full weight spread out between both of her feet.

“Amity, your leg!” Luz exclaimed, finally putting it together. 

“It’s healed.” Amity confirmed, her face taking on a cold, serious expression. “Eda was right. I wasn’t any use without it.”

Luz felt a cold shiver make it’s way down her body. Despite the worry she felt hearing Amity so coldly refer to herself as useless, there was something more laying under the surface.

“If your leg is healed then what about…” Luz trailed off, bringing her hand up to her face, exactly to the spot where Amity’s mark would have been.

“It’s gone.” Amity stated plainly. Her eyes no longer seemed to focus on anything as she stared straight ahead. 

Luz felt her breath get caught in the back of her throat. It was cold and sharp. She remembered Amity’s expression when she had looked into the reflection of her phone. It was relief. Relief that the mark still scarred over her face. 

It didn’t take a genius to figure out exactly what consequences healing it would have.

“Amity-“ Luz started, gently, her concern apparent.

“It’s going to be fine Luz.” Amity brushed her off curtly. 

Luz’s eyes widened. She bit her lip, biting back the retort and anger that threatened to overwhelm her. She took Amity’s hand, seemingly shaking the girl out of whatever trance she had entered. 

“Let’s go upstairs.” Luz repeated softly.

***

“Amity, you are not going home." Luz stated plainly, brushing past Amity and into her room.

Amity sighed and gently shut the door behind them.

“Luz, we’ve been over this already.” She said softly, avoiding turning around. 

“No. We had just started talking about it when I was so very rudely interrupted by Emperor Trashbag. Which, can I just say, has seen you! He knows you’re with me! What do you think your parents will do to you when he tells them?!” Luz exclaimed from somewhere behind her. 

Amity could feel her wide eyes burning into the back of her skull.

“I hadn’t… thought of that.” She said quietly. 

The witch stiffened as she felt a hand on her shoulder. Amity let it spin her around.

“You can’t go home. Amity, please.” Luz pleaded with her. Her eyes were watery, the fiery determination fading. She looked desperate, and scared. It resonated with the fear in Amity’s own heart. 

“Where else am I supposed to go?! I can’t stay here Luz! If I don’t come home they’ll track me down. They’ll find you and Eda and this whole house. And then what?! This entire situation is out of control! At least at home I have a chance of keeping you safe. A chance at convincing them that I was just following orders.” 

Amity felt her nails dig into her arm as she gripped it tightly, avoiding Luz’s eyes. 

“And what about you? If you go home you’re in danger.” Luz whispered. Her voice was almost unrecognizable. It was laced with desperation. 

“If I don’t go home then everything you’ve done, saving Eda, burning the portal… it will be for nothing.”

Luz’s warm hand left her shoulder, allowing the cold to spread back into her body. She looked up and Luz was staring at the wall, hands clenched tightly into fists at her side. 

“Fine. If you insist that you have to go back home,” Luz looked up and stared at Amity, her gaze unflinching, “then I’m coming with you.”

“Luz you can’t-“

“Yes. I can.” Luz growled, not letting her finish. “I told you before that I’m not letting you face them alone. I’m not going back on that. I _won’t_ let them hurt you anymore.”

Amity could only stare at her. Any words she had stuck in the back of her throat. It felt like the night that Luz had volunteered to take her place as Grom Queen. The disbelief was the same. 

Why did the human care so much?

“So you can either take me with you, or I’ll just follow you back to Blight Manor.”

Amity felt the words in her throat become a knot. 

“Luz…” She was barely able to croak out. 

Was there anything she could do to convince her just how horrible of an idea this was?

“I’m highly trained in the art of stealth. You won’t even be able to see me to stop me.” Luz grinned at her. 

Suddenly the fear and anxiety melted away. Gone with the flash of Luz’s teeth as she confidently smirked. The knot loosened. A smile made it's way to her face. 

“You are soo not stealthy. Not in the slightest.” Amity chuckled weakly.

“I so am. I was able to sneak through the Emperor’s castle and the Conformatorium, twice!” 

“Whatever you say, _Chaos_. But fine. You can come. Mostly because I don’t need you trespassing and somehow getting into more trouble while I’m not around to watch you.”

Luz beamed.

***

“No. You can’t pretend to be an Abomination again. I don’t know how that even worked the first time.” 

Luz felt a flicker of pride at one of her earliest Boiling Isles shenanigans. Despite the mess that the school ended up in, she really had pulled that off well. Not to mention how excited Willow had been to finally change her track.

Luz looked up at Amity who was standing in front of the whiteboard they had wheeled out, thoughtfully tapping a marker to her face. They were trying to brainstorm ways to sneak Luz into Blight Manor.

The human felt herself grinning.

“You saw right through me though. You were the only one I didn’t fool with my act. Well... besides Bump.” 

Amity paused her tapping. A small, sheepish smile crept onto her face and a light blush rose to her face. 

_Cute._ Luz blinked, taken suddenly off guard.

“Well. I am top student for a reason. Abominations are my specialty.” The witch said confidently. Her smile faded quickly as her voice lowered.

“And… I knew Willow wouldn’t be able to summon an Abomination that well formed. Especially not after seeing her attempt earlier that morning.”

Luz made a face. “Yeaaaah. Even I could tell that thing wasn’t pretty.” She laughed, remembering the pile of barely sentient goop that Willow had tried to summon on that day.

Amity froze. The witch turned sharply around to face Luz fully. 

“Wait. What?”

Luz peeled herself off the window-sill and walked over to the whiteboard, plucking the marker out of Amity’s hand as she approached. She uncapped it in one fluid motion and set to work drawing a river of goop with a singular eyeball floating in it. Next to it she doodled a small flower, reminiscent of the one Willow had restored.

Luz took a step back and admired her work, before turning to Amity with a grin.

“I watched the whole thing from the bushes.” She admitted mischievously.

Amity’s ears pressed to the side of her head. Luz watched curiously as her head dipped in shame. Realization struck as Amity slowly took the marker back without another word.

“But, I mean, I uh…” Luz stuttered, trying to find the right thing to say. 

It was true, Amity Blight hadn’t been the nicest witch out in the forest that day. 

“No. It’s fine Luz. You don’t have to pretend.” Amity said softly. She gave Luz a meek smile. “I was a bully."

Luz shifted uncomfortably, trying to find something to say. She had dealt with and seen many bullies before, and in that moment in the woods, Amity definitely played the part of one. The way she had just torn down Willow so methodically. It was almost scary. Looking at Amity now, it was hard to see any resemblance to the warm person in front of her.

“It’s not like that now though.” Luz said gently, speaking the only truth she knew. 

Amity gave Luz a slightly stronger smile before turning once again to the whiteboard. 

“So. No abomination goop. Any other ideas?” The witch asked quickly, her voice raising dramatically in pitch.

Luz frowned. Something about her posture, the way Amity seemed to hold onto her past bothered her. She wasn’t a bully anymore. Willow may not have fully forgiven her, but Amity was taking the correct steps to grow from her behavior. 

To step away from her parent’s conditioning. 

Suddenly a hand waved in front of her face.

“Luz? You ok?”” Amity prompted gently, startling Luz out of her thoughts. 

“Me? Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just thinking about the uh… oh right! The infiltration of Blight manor!” She announced, suddenly getting a spark as she remembered just why they were brainstorming.

“How about this?” Luz proposed, grabbing her notepad off the floor and shuffling through it until she found the correct glyph. 

Tapping it, a large hedge appeared. Luz wedged herself into it, shuffling her way through the branches and leaves quite noisily before standing up, completely wrapped in the foliage.

“Walking plant!“ She exclaimed excitedly, only getting a small mouthful of leaves as she did. Spitting them out she continued, posing dramatically. 

“It’s a classic. Look, one second I’m moving and the next,” Luz explained as she walked just a slight bit forward before freezing suddenly and setting herself down besides Amity. “The next I’m just another decoration.”

Amity puffed up her cheeks as she choked back a laugh. Luz grinned triumphantly. The walking plant was always a winner.

“Luz, there is no way that is going to work. My parents hate plant magic. They think it’s weak.”

Luz frowned, stepping out of the bush with a huff, and quite a few light scratches. “They’re weak.” She grumbled as she approached the white board again. 

Grabbing the marker out of Amity’s out-stretched hand Luz wrote and then immediately crossed out _Walking Plant_ on their growing list of ideas. She tapped the board idly as she pondered just what else there was to try.

“Maybe we need to move on from magic.” Luz prompted, as she racked her brain for any ideas. Somewhere in there was something she could use. She just had to find it…

How could she sneak in to someplace without causing any suspicion whatsoever.

Then it occurred to her. Luz lit up, straightening immediately, the thought like a bullet through her brain. She tossed the marker at Amity who caught it with a worried expression. Luz didn’t have time to explain, she ran out of the bedroom, only barely remembering to keep quiet as she skidded to Eda’s treasure room. Peering among the piles of human junk the Owl Lady had hoarded, she quickly found what she was looking for. 

With a grin, Luz grabbed it by the handle and dragged it back to her bedroom, a wide smile threatening to crack her face in half. 

Rolling in on it, she presented the item to Amity with a flourish. “Introducing the answers to all of our problems, it’s durable, it’s portable, it can fit one lanky 14 year old, _it’s_ the suitcase!!” 

Amity blinked, looking completely lost. “The _what?_ ” 

“The suitcase! It’s used to transport clothing and other items for trips in the human world. My mom once packed one to stay at work for a few days. I uh… I didn’t want to be alone, so I just crawled into her suitcase when she wasn’t looking. So I know it works, because she got all the way to the hospital without noticing a thing. Trust me, I crawl in this and you can say you grabbed it from me for ‘research’ and bam! We’re in!” Luz explained in a rush, ignoring the small pang of pain and guilt that twisted in her heart as she spoke of her mother. 

Amity raised an eyebrow and walked hesitantly over to the suitcase. Poking it gently with the marker she frowned. 

“Will you be able to even breathe in there?” 

Luz walked over and unzipped the luggage ever so slightly. “You’ll have to keep it open a tiny bit, just so I can breathe and see, but otherwise I should be just fine. I can be very compact when I need to be.”

Amity looked thoughtful for a minute, before nodding slowly.

“Well. It’s the best plan we got, and we don’t have much time. So… the su-it-case it is.” 

“Yes! You won’t regret this!” Luz whooped excitedly as she unzipped the suitcase fully. Bending down to see if she still fit, she heard Amity shift behind her. Luz’s ears barely picked up a small groan.

“I think it might already be too late for that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I am absolutely in love with the very first half of this chapter. I was so excited to write Luz struggling with what had just happened to her. But with all things, Luz won’t let herself dwell on anything concerning her for long. 
> 
> The second half... well it took me awhile to get through it. 
> 
> Did you guys really think I would just build up all of this tension for nothing? Nah. Amity has to go home. It just makes sense. Doesn’t it? I guess we’ll see what happens to our girl’s next. Also. Yes. In case you were wondering, a 14 year old can just fit in a suitcase. I would know, because I spent like, 2 full days brainstorming ways to possibly get Luz into the Blight’s manor with my friend before we both finally figured out that it’s best to draw on our own experiences. In this case, their own experience. Of the time they fit into a suitcase. 
> 
> Anyways. I’m very tired. I’m sorry if the ending of this chapter seemed... I don’t know, out of place? I have really high hopes for the next one though. I just had to get through this middle period. 
> 
> I’ll see y’all next update. _And we’ll enter the belly of the beast, Blight Manor._


	36. A Smudged Image

The suitcase creaked and popped as it rolled along the ground. It was the only sound in the forest as the girls walked side by side. Amity kept expecting Luz to say something, to make a comment or a joke or ask one of her millions of questions. The human remained silent though, watching the ground as she dragged the strange, foreign device behind them. It made Amity somehow even more anxious. There was only a small comfort in the fact that Luz had insisted on coming with her. Despite feeling completely safe and at ease with the girl walking beside her, there was danger at home. A danger she would be exposing Luz to. One that Amity knew she was better off concealing. 

Luz had been right.

If Belos knew about her, knew about her connection to this wanted human, then she would be in a lot more trouble then just being late. The loyalty her parents had to the Emperor ran deep. 

It was almost undeniable that their love for him would overshadow whatever “love” they might hold for her. 

It was terrifying. Every step she took felt heavy, every breath was strained. She chanced a glance up at Luz. The human had her head down, watching her feet as she walked, her face unreadable. It didn’t take much to guess at what was going on in her mind. Amity could only imagine, especially seeing her face as she woke up. The terror that was unmistakable. Luz may have brushed it off as soon as she was able to, but Amity knew better. 

The unshakable Luz Noceda was terrified. The idea that she could lose control over her body, to be unable to do anything but watch as her loved ones were put in danger… it was no wonder why Luz was so insistent on leaving The Owl House tonight. 

Amity looked away. They were in this together now. Even if the witch wanted to desperately run from Luz, to keep her safe the one way she knew how, she couldn’t. Amity couldn’t shut her out anymore. As painful as it was to admit, they needed each other. It brought both relief and a sharp pang of guilt. 

Taking a deep breath and ignoring her screaming panic, Amity reached for Luz’s free hand.

She could feel Luz freeze for just a moment. A shiver shot through Amity as she feared that she may have crossed a line before she felt Luz gently squeeze her hand. Silently confirming that this touch, this gesture, was ok. 

“So. Does this technically mean you’re inviting me over for a sleepover?” Luz asked softly. The excitement in her voice put Amity at ease once again.

“Invite? Didn’t you threaten to follow me home if I didn’t agree to let you come with me?”

Luz laughed and the sound filled Amity with warmth. 

“Well would you have let me come over if I didn’t? But it’s fine. I was already scheming a way to get you stay over with me at casa de Owl Shack, not like… well not like the other night. But a _real_ sleepover. With snacks, and pillow fights and oooh! Truth or dare.” Luz smirked at her with mischief in her eyes. 

Amity had to force herself to move on with Luz as she so casually skipped over the events of the night they spent in the woods. 

“Truth or Dare? Is that some sort of human game?” 

Luz gasped as she dug her heels into the earth and brought them both to a stop. 

“You’ve never heard of Truth or Dare?!” The human exclaimed in shock, staring down Amity with wide eyes. She didn’t let Amity answer before she rolled on, taking the lead in walking and the conversation.

“It’s _the_ game to play. It establishes the tone for any person to person interaction. Often played in a group of people, you can still have plenty of fun with it with just two. I mean, at least that’s what I’ve heard… I’ve only really played it once. And the group I was with made a dare early on that everyone had to ignore me. Turns out everyone was really good at that dare.” Luz chuckled nervously as she seemingly began to shut down.

Amity made a face. It sounded familiar. Like something she herself would’ve suggested before. It made the witch both angry and heartbroken, hearing and seeing how clearly it the isolation still bothered her human. She gave Luz’s hand a small squeeze.

“So… how do you play it?” Amity prompted her gently. 

Luz blinked. “Oh, right. Um so basically you take turns asking each other “Truth, or Dare” and the other person chooses between those two. A dare means doing something, usually ridiculous or scary, and a truth means answering a question completely truthfully, no matter how embarrassing.”

Amity frowned. “Seems like a dumb game. What’s to stop someone from lying, or simply refusing to do something they don’t feel comfortable doing?”

Luz squeezed her hand as the skip in her step picked up once again.

“Absolutely nothing. It’s just trusting that everyone involved remains a good sport. Even the people asking the questions or proposing the dares."

They seemed to pick up speed as Luz lead. Despite not knowing where exactly they were going, Luz was still heading in the right direction so Amity gladly followed. They talked a bit more about the game and other sleepover ideas, most of them headed by Luz, before the energetic girl once again skidded to a full stop. They were in a familiar area, and ahead Amity saw the reason Luz had stopped so suddenly.

Once again they had ended up in front of the Grom Tree, only this time, laying on the ground ahead of them there was something new. 

In a pile on the ground lay a painting and an easel. Luz’s eyes were locked ahead of her as she held still and stared. Amity’s free hand went to her cheek and cupped it gently. 

It hadn’t been more then a couple of hours since everything had crashed down and gone so wrong. 

Luz’s hand untangled from Amity’s own as she took a couple of steps forward. 

Amity followed supportively behind her. The witch watched as Luz knelt down next to the overturned painting and picked it gently up. Flipping it around, Amity finally got a glimpse of the art that Luz had so excitedly wanted to show her. 

It was clear right off the bat that this was something much more then one of human’s little doodles. Like Luz had said, it was both of them, in the middle of their Grom dance. Amity’s eyes widened as she took in just how much time and effort had gone into it. The colors Luz had chosen were gorgeous. Looking at it, the witch remembered exactly the moment Luz had chosen to capture with surprising clarity. The human was below her, back facing the canvas as she held Amity up slightly in the air. Amity could see the genuine smile that Luz had somehow managed to capture so wonderfully and remembered almost immediately the warmth and happiness she had felt that night.

Flying through the air as she danced with her crush.

“Oh… it’s smudged. You’re smudged.” Luz pointed out quietly. 

Amity glanced down at Luz. Her shoulders were slumped in obvious disappointment. She followed her friends thumb as it gently raised to hover over the witch’s face, and more specifically her eyes, in which a clump of mud had made it’s home. 

Luz held her hand there shakily, before abruptly pulling it back and away from the canvas. She let it limply fall to the side as she stood up, the painting dangling limply from her hand. She still faced away from Amity, but the witch knew something more then just the mud was bothering her. 

“Luz?” She asked quietly.

Luz turned around and gave her a weak smile. She had her eyes closed in an attempt to make it seem more genuine. Opening them up, Amity could see they were twinged in sadness.

“I’m sorry Amity, I guess it’s kinda ruined now. I can’t really rub the mud off without risking streaking the whole thing.”

“Oh.” Amity said softly.

She didn’t like the look in Luz’s eyes, but she couldn’t find any words she could say that could make it better. She knew deep down, that Luz had worked really hard on that painting, and it was Amity’s fault that it was messed up now.

Luz’s grip tightened on the painting and suddenly Amity found her voice.

“Luz, can I ask you something?”

The question seemed to pull Luz a bit out of her trance as she straightened up.

“After your fall you started… saying things. Like how, you were weird.”

Luz laughed and Amity could tell immediately that it was genuine. “Amity, I _am_ weird. Weird and proud!” Luz boasted with a large grin.

“I know. It’s just, for a moment, you weren’t so proud.” Amity’s voice began to shake slightly and she willed herself to keep it steady. “You were saying stuff about needing to be… _fixed_.” Amity finished quietly. She felt sick just saying it, much less remembering the quiet, defeated way Luz had admitted to it.

She watched as Luz almost imperceptibly tensed. Her brown eyes widened just a bit as she turned away to set the painting down against the tree.

“Haha. Are you sure you’re feeling alright Ami? That doesn’t sound like me at all! I don’t need to be fixed.”

Amity froze, she felt her face burn as her mind caught up slowly. Ami? A nickname? Luz had a nickname for her now?! She bit her lip trying to focus, her fangs nearly piercing the skin as she struggled to move past her rapid heartbeat.

“I’m not saying that. I love,” Amity purposefully bit down harder on her lip, ignoring the blood she tasted and the way her heart fluttered in her chest, “I mean, I appreciate how weird you are! It’s cute, I mean, COOL. It makes things more fun.” She stammered quickly.

Luz took a step back and stared at the spot she had chosen for the painting, her hands on her hips. After a moment of silence, Amity watched as the human’s shoulders slumped forward in defeat before leaning forward and flipping the canvas so it was facing against the tree. Hiding it’s beauty from it’s surroundings. 

Luz turned around and faced Amity with another forced smile. She lurched forward and wrapped an arm around the witches shoulders as she grabbed the suitcase with her free hand. 

Turning her face to look directly at Amity, Luz finally gave her a real smile and Amity had to forcibly fight the urge to lean forward just a few inches and… and…

Amity shook herself. Blinking, the witch concentrated on what Luz was saying instead. 

“… so what’s the question? If you and I both agree that being weird is the best, then there shouldn’t be a problem!”

It didn’t take much for Amity to refocus. She knew what she had heard. She knew the state that Luz slipped into when her guard was down. When that confidence faded…

“Luz. It’s just, you didn’t seem to love being weird at the time. You sounded so… heartbroken.” Amity admitted softly, looking away from those wide eyes that threatened to pierce into her soul.

She felt Luz gently squeeze her shoulder.

“Hey now. I was tired and like… really hurt. Probably still not fully recovered from Sir Trashbag’s rude interruption. There’s no need to worry about me Ami. Promise. I’ll be fine.”

Amity nearly choked as her crush used her nickname once again. She wanted to say something more, but Luz led them forward.

“Now come on! We’ve got to get you home! I’ve got a manor to explore and all of the juicy Blight secrets to find!” She laughed as they began walking in the wrong direction. 

Unable to regain control of the conversation, and unable to think clearly at all, Amity let Luz lead her along. With a small bit of help of course.

“Um. Luz? Blight Manor is that way.” 

***

“YOU LIVE HERE?!” Luz exclaimed loudly, her jaw dropping as they stood at the front gate.

Above them, up the driveway and on the hill, Blight Manor loomed like an ugly ink blot against a starry sky.

“Shhhh. Luz!” Amity reprimanded her sharply, glancing around in a panic. “We can’t have anyone hearing you if you’re going to _sneak_ in!”

Luz could barely shut her jaw as her eyes never left the house on the hill.

“I’m sorry! But like, _it’s huge_!! How do you not get lost inside?” Luz continued excitedly. 

“Well you grow up in a place and you kinda just… know it. Regardless I hardly ever leave my room anymore anyways. Now. You should probably get inside that thing before we walk inside. Just in case someone sees you on the walk up.”

Luz turned to her with a pout. 

“Aw come on! I can’t explore a bit?”

Amity’s felt a shiver of a familiar cold enter her bones.

“No way. I can’t let my parents see you.”

Luz must’ve seen the look in her eyes because her pout instantly evaporated as she nodded. Unzipping the suitcase, she bent herself into a crouching position and crawled inside. When she was finally situated, the human gave her a thumbs up.

Amity zipped the device up, making sure to leave the very top open so Luz could both breathe and see around her.

“Ok. Here we go.” Amity whispered as she pushed open the iron gates that led to her ‘home’. “Luz. Please, no matter what happens, stay quiet and stay hidden.”

“No promises, I’m not about to just sit here and let them hurt you. That’s literally the exact opposite of why I came with you.” Luz’s quiet voice argued from somewhere inside the darkness of the suitcase. 

Amity sighed. Tilting Luz onto the wheels of the device, she walked towards the front door.

Entering the manor was uneventful in it’s own right as there was a little bit of a struggle getting Luz over the doorway. After a few small bumps and quite a bit of wiggling however, they were both comfortably rolling through the large empty hallways.

The house was dark and Amity took it as a good sign. Perhaps everyone was already in bed, perhaps her parents were still out for the night, perhaps…

“Amity? Is that you dear?” 

Amity stopped, a cold fear washing over her instantly. 

Odalia Blight peeled herself out from the living room, just a mere silhouette in the darkness of the manor. Her grey eyes were the only light around as she prowled ever closer.

“You are late.” 

***

Luz felt a shiver from her cramped position inside the suitcase. Judging from the way Amity stopped and tensed, the human could tell that the voice that so coolly purred out of the darkness belonged to her mother.

Her eyes strained against the darkness as she desperately peered into the murk, hoping to see what was happening. She didn’t have to wait long. Soon Luz saw a pale, bony hand draw a tight circle as a light spell was summoned. It illuminated the features of it’s caster in it’s pale ethereal glow. Odalia Blight’s face was stern and cold. Her hair was pinned up in a tight bun and Luz could tell it was the same emerald green as the twins. Her grey eyes were surrounded by dark bags as they glared down with disgust at her own daughter. 

Luz felt like puking. The look on her face resembled nothing of a caring mother looking down at her child, but rather a look one might give to a nasty piece of gum that just so happened to be stuck to a shoe. Her fists clenched as best they could in the small space. 

Odalia reached her hand out towards Amity and Luz reacted off of pure instinct.

“ _No!_ ” The human cried out as she shifted in the suitcase, desperate to stop the action she feared was about to happen. The suitcase barely moved an inch as Amity held it still in an iron grip.

“I’m sorry!! I’m so sorry!!” Amity yelped loudly almost at the exact same time. Luz’s eyes widened as she realized what had almost happened. The young witch was only barely able to cover the sound of Luz’s outburst with her apology.

“I got caught up in watching the human! I lost track of time and I just grabbed the first thing I could find so I could study it and came right home! I swear!” Amity pleaded desperately, the lie obvious to Luz, but the fear that leaked from her voice was real. 

It made the human’s heart clench painfully.

Odalia gently set her hand against her daughter’s cheek and Luz watched almost all of the life and energy drain from Amity’s back the moment she was touched. It was hard to watch, Luz knew she must’ve been terrified.

“It’s ok dear. I heard from Belos himself today, just what you were up to.”

Luz had to bite her lip to keep from making another noise as she watched helplessly from her hiding spot.

_No… please…_

“He told me to give you this.” Odalia continued, twirling her finger once more as she conjured a small note into her hand. She leaned around Amity to slide it in to the open suitcase as Luz pressed herself as far back as she could. Even being this close to this repulsive woman gave her a cold shiver. How could Amity stand being touched by her?

The note slipped easily into the small slot as Odalia leaned back and faced Amity once again. Luz watched on in horror as the hand cupping Amity’s face tightened. The young witch winced in pain as her mother forcefully grabbed her chin and forced her to look her in the eyes. 

“However, that does not excuse your tardiness. One more time _Amity_ and the consequences will be severe. Worse then if you had lied to me. Do you understand?”

Amity merely whimpered in reply as Luz’s heart shattered. Her breathing became painful. Amity Blight, the towering image of confidence and composure was reduced to nothing more then a fearful child in her own home. 

Luz felt the tears run down her face as Odalia’s grip grew even tighter. 

“I asked you if you understood.” The woman growled menacingly.

Amity’s free hand clenched into a fist as she started to shake. “Yes mother.” She answered quietly. 

Odalia’s hand dropped to her side. 

“Good. I’m glad to see you dropped that whole martyr act with your crutches as well. You seem to have taken my lesson to heart. You’re finally becoming a Blight my dear, and it fits you well.” Odalia’s voice purred, placated as it dripped with a sickening sweet pride. 

Amity nodded stiffly.

“Thank you mother.”

“Get up to your room now. Tomorrow I expect you back _on time_.” 

Luz watched as Odalia brushed past Amity and heard her footsteps echo down the hall. Somewhere deeper in the mansion a door opened and closed as Odalia shut herself up in a different room, locking her horrors away with the echoing thud.

Luz didn’t speak, she couldn’t, as she knew how important it was to stay quiet. As Amity stood frozen in the hallway, however, Luz felt her chest heave in hiccuping, sporadic breaths. 

Despite what she had been told earlier that night, she never could have imagined the true hell that Amity seemed to live in. It made her sick. It made her angry. 

Overall, she just felt a crushing sadness as she watched the back of the young witch who she had grown so close to, who she had grown so incredibly fond of, crumple in fear.

Blinking through the tears that now freely streamed down her face, Luz noticed the note that had landed on her lap. Desperate to occupy her mind with anything else as she waited, the human opened it and held it up to the sliver of light that came through the suitcase.

_“Hello, little human. You seem to forget one important thing as you scheme. **I see and I know everything**. Behave yourself, and the young Blight will be spared.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I HOPE YOU ALL LIKE PAIN!
> 
> Because we got it. From Luz to Amity, nobody is getting a break tonight. Finally a lengthy chapter, YEESH it’s been awhile. 
> 
> _Oh my gosh, I need sleep..._


	37. Oh Cramity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> __  
>  **...3  **   
> 

Amity knew Luz was crying. The sound, while foreign and haunting, was unmistakable as she stood in the hallway, recovering her nerves. The soft sniffles seemed to echo in her ears as it took all of the witch’s willpower to move from the spot her mother had stopped her. To not simply curl up and cry along with the human still hidden in the suitcase. 

They had to move. 

With great difficulty, Amity continued through the hallway like a ghost. Instead of forcing Luz up the staircase, she strained herself even further to levitate the suitcase up and over the top floor balcony before ascending the steps herself. By the time the young witch had dragged herself and Luz into her room, Amity was exhausted.

As she shut the door and turned the lock, Amity collapsed against it, sliding down to the cool floor and sitting with her knees against her chest. 

"Alright Luz. It's safe to come out." Amity said softly.

Luz didn't answer, instead the suitcase slowly unzipped and the human crawled out and stood up. She was facing away from Amity. In the darkness of the room, the human was a complete shadow. 

Amity's exhaustion slowly slipped away as Luz stood still, replaced by a slow creeping dread. Something was wrong.

"Amity... we _can't_ steal the portal." Luz announced solemnly 

“What do you mean? We have to try. Especially since we know where it is. How else are you going to get home?”

Luz turned around sharply. Her eyes were still red and puffy from crying and she was gripping tightly to something in her left hand. The human began to shake as she held up the note that Odalia had slipped into the suitcase. With noticeable effort, she held it out to Amity.

The witch peeled herself off the ground. Luz didn’t react as she gently took the note and opened it. 

The threat written upon it didn’t seem real. It couldn’t be real. Amity forced herself to read it over once again. 

“Amity, this is all my fault. I shouldn’t have involved you, I shouldn’t have involved anyone. Maybe then your parents… and Belos. They would’ve left you alone.” Luz mumbled, hanging her head so the shadow of the room covered her face. 

Covered her emotions. 

“I’m just trouble. I get in over my head, and I say things I shouldn’t. It would’ve been better for everyone if I just… stayed home. Gone to camp. Tried to be normal. This isn’t even my world and somehow I’ve messed everything up. Just like I always do…” Luz echoed hollowly.

Amity eyes widened. Over the past couple of days Amity had seen traces of this other person inside of Luz. One who was withdrawn and unconfident. The night in the woods after her fight with Belos, and again as she laid injured in the abomination’s arms. Both times it seemed like Luz was miles away from her, but Amity always saw some sort of brightness in her. Luz always came back. 

Whoever this was standing in her room, their back completely covered in moonlight darkening their features as they faced the green-haired witch, it wasn’t Luz.

Something had buried the light that was Luz Noceda.

Amity reached forward and roughly grabbed the human by her shoulders. The strength returned to her limbs as she felt her eyes sear with fresh burn of tears. 

“Luz Noceda.“ She growled. 

Luz didn’t budge. The human actually seemed to deflate more as Amity’s grip tightened. 

“You coming here? It was probably the best thing to ever happen to us. To Eda. To Willow. To Gus. To me…” 

“That can’t be true.” Luz hoarsely whispered.

“And why wouldn’t it be?!” 

“Because look at where I got everyone! Eda and Lilith are without magic! Gus is having to lie to his dad and is being eyed by the Emperor’s Coven, Willow is in the same exact boat! You’re all in danger because of me!” Luz shouted back, not bothering to keep her voice down. Her head raised up to meet Amity’s eyes.

“And you…” Luz said softly, reaching forward to cup Amity’s face, her hand resting in the exact position her mother had hit her. Luz looked like she had seen a ghost as her hand quickly retracted. 

Amity’s hand snatched the human’s tan wrist before Luz was able to finish her thought.

“Luz. You are not responsible for what my parents have done. Yes, I was managing them well enough before you came along, but it didn’t matter. They were grooming me to be something I never wanted to become. Then you and your weirdness and absolute infuriating persistence to somehow be my friend changed all of that. You gave me the courage to be myself. To find real friends.” 

Amity watched as Luz’s eyes barely registered her words. She let her hand slide down Luz’s wrist and grasped her hand tightly. 

It was cold.

“As for Willow and Gus? I’ve been in the same class as them since we were all in the baby class. They adore you. The adventure you offer, the confidence you bring? You bring out the best in both of them. Before you they only had each other. Gus was always too young and too talented, it made him special, but it also isolated him. And Willow… well you saw firsthand what I had done to her confidence. You gave them both a place at Hexside again.“ Amity continued passionately, adamant to make Luz see just how much good she had done. 

“As for Eda and Lilith? Do you know just how often Lilith would go on and on about her sister? Regardless of whether or not she would ever admit it, Lilith always wished for some way to make it up to her. You gave her the opportunity to do it _the right way_. And Eda…”

“Eda thanked me for being in her life… she said she had only wasted her magic before I showed up.” Luz finished for her.

Luz softly squeezed her hand and Amity watched a spark alight in her eyes. 

“Hard to believe that the most powerful _hermit_ on the Boiling Isles would admit that to someone who didn’t belong here.” Amity smiled gently. 

“But… the note. Belos didn’t tell your mother everything for a reason. If he does… what happens then? What happens to you?”

“Since when have you known Belos to keep his end of a bargain? When he promised to ‘heal’ Eda? I told you I’d help you get home didn’t I? Well the best chance we have at that is in that trashbag’s basement and we have the blueprints and the plan to steal it. So that’s just what we are going to do.”

The spark in Luz’s eyes brightened. It turned into a mischievous glimmer as Luz’s face slowly transformed into a large grin.

“Careful Blight, you’re dangerously close to sounding like you are suggesting we commit the treasonous act of treason.” Luz waggled her eyebrows at her.

“I’m suggesting more then just treason Luz. I’m talking about a heist.” Amity grinned back.

***

Luz found herself staring out the window as she rested against the wall. Every creak, every small noise set her on edge and had her grabbing at her satchel, prepared to pull out a glyph. 

Amity snored gently on her lap. Looking down, Luz smiled. She had never seen the witch so relaxed. It had taken quite a bit of convincing, but eventually, as Amity’s blinks slowed to seconds at a time, Luz got her to put the heist plans to bed for the night. Reaching forward, Luz had pulled the witch into her arms, knowing Amity was just stubbornly fighting the sleep she so desperately needed. It wasn’t long after that Amity passed out fully.

Luz brought her hand up to Amity’s hair, and in a fluid motion slid it out of the tight ponytail she kept it in. The mint hair fell down in a curtain surrounding the witch’s face and Luz gently swept it to the side. Luz could feel the damage, could feel just how dry the bleach and dye treatment had left it. 

The human suddenly felt sick. She moved her hand up to run it through the sliver of hazel hair that had grown in. It was softer, it felt more real. Luz’s eyes began to gently close as she kept her hand tucked into Amity’s hair.

Somewhere in the mansion a door opened and closed. Luz fought against the shiver of fear that surrounded her as her eyes shot open and directly to Amity’s bedroom door. Waiting a few seconds, she felt her body relax as the tension slipped away once again. Her eyes instead traveled to her side where her notebook lay forgotten. On the page lay another copy of the BatQueen’s glyph. 

Luz still hadn’t had any luck getting it to work. To do anything more then melt right off the page. It bothered her more then she cared to admit. Luz had never struggled with glyph’s before, and this one felt somehow so much more important then any she had learned previously. This one could help them. She just knew it.

Amity shifted in her sleep, flipping her body to the side as her arms tucked in under her head. Luz lifted her hand and let the witch adjust as she watched Amity settle back into her rest with a warm expression. Staring at the girl’s face, Luz’s heart rate began to pick up. Her face suddenly felt warmer then usual.

The rest of the room seemed to fade away. The worry about the glyph, the upcoming heist, Belos’s threat and just about a million other things that occupied Luz’s mind at any given moment left as she stared, transfixed.

Amity’s pale skin practically glowed in the moonlight. Luz recalled the way the girl had gripped her shoulder’s earlier, practically begging the human to see her own worth. Despite Amity’s own fear, despite her exhaustion. The thought alone warmed Luz’s heart, but there was more to it. There was more to the fascination the human had with the lone witch.

It was the reason behind why Luz always wanted to be around her. Always wanted to see her flash her one of those gorgeous smiles, and to make her laugh at all of her corny jokes…

 _Oh cramity._ Luz thought as realization struck.

_I like Amity._

***

Eda was exhausted. 

Light was streaming into her room at an annoying volume. She flipped over in her nest and glanced at the window. The curtains she had hung were in a pile on the floor. 

“King.” She grumbled aloud, knowing the little demon had probably picked a fight with them earlier in the day. 

_Picked a fight and lost._ The wild witch smirked to herself. She stretched, feeling all of her bones creak and pop. As the sounds of her shifting stopped, Eda realized the house was quiet. Much too quiet. What was the point of inviting all of these misfits and weirdos inside if they weren’t doing anything weird?

Peeling herself up and out of bed, Eda glanced at the pile of floor curtains. Sighing heavily, she left them where they were and hobbled down the steps to figure out what exactly was going on.

She found a couple of her misfits in the front yard, currently deep in a discussion with Hooty. 

Eda blinked as her brain tried catching up with that foreign thought. A deep discussion with Hooty? Something was seriously wrong. 

“How could you not have seen where they had gone you bird-brained demon?!” Lilith Clawthorne exclaimed angrily.

Eda grinned. Despite the exhaustion that still clung to her bones and mind, it was good to hear her sister get all bothered about something. The wild witch moved closer, itching to be a part of it. It was a prime Lilly teasing opportunity.

“Hey! Hoot hoot! That’s not very nice! I’m a veeerrrry busy person I’ll have you know!”

Lilith sighed heavily as her hand slapped against her face. “I just cannot fathom how you could always see me and the coven coming from a mile away, but two young girls can give you the slip.”

“Yeah, what gives?” King angrily yipped. “You have ONE job! How can you mess something as simple as that up?!”

Eda shuffled towards the group, her curiosity piqued. “Alright, what gives?” 

Lilith turned to her and scowled.

“Oh look who dragged their butt out of bed. Thank you for finally gracing us with your presence, _Edalyn._ ” Her sister’s voice dripped with sarcasm. 

“Oh spare me. You try being stuck in a beast form for over 24 hours and let me know just how tired you are after. Now, what’s going on here?” Eda shot back, rolling her eyes and turning to King.

King narrowed his eyes at Hooty one last time before giving Eda his full attention.

“This bird-brain didn’t see where Luz snuck off to last night. Her and cupcake-smasher were gone by the time we all woke up this morning.” He groaned, clearly annoyed and exasperated. Eda understood, dealing with Hooty on any normal day was laborious.

What she didn’t understand was why they were all so concerned. To her, it seemed fairly obvious.

“So what, the kids snuck off on a midnight date. Honestly, good for them. It’s about time Luz finally figured out what was going on. Maybe now the Blight can stop her face from going pure tomato every time my kid simply looks her way.”

“A date? Sister if you could wake up for just one moment that would be excellent. Those two took a human device when they left. King found it missing this morning.” Lilith explained with annoyance.

“It was the su-it-case! And we found brainstorming plans for sneaking in somewhere on the whiteboard in Luz’s room too!” King continued, piggybacking off of Lilith’s statement.

“Ho-ot! Eda told me not to follow when Amity was with Luz. I merely wanted to respect their privacy.”

Eda’s eyes widened. Her hand went to her chin as she stroked it in thought. “Hmm. Things really must be wrong then. Hooty _never_ respects anyone’s privacy.”

Lilith groaned, rolling her eyes. “Seriously?! That’s what tells you something is wrong? I may have only known Luz for a couple of days, but even I can tell something suspicious is happening with that girl. She’s plotting and hiding something. Amity as well. Now I’ve stayed mostly quiet on about it because I wanted respectful of them, but the situation has gotten out of control. Luz was seriously injured last night. Amity looked exhausted, and they both ran out of the house in the middle of the night despite all of that.” 

Eda watched as Lilith and King shared a look. 

“Something is up and I fear it is much more serious then we can imagine.”

The wild witch scowled. Besides the obvious connection Lilith and King now seemed to share, something else bothered her about what Lilith had explained.

It all made sense. 

And Eda hadn’t noticed it at all. 

Luz had been acting suspicious since the incident at the Conformatorium. The wild witch thought back to what the young Blight had told her. A ‘side effect’ didn’t seem to cover just how off Luz had been. 

Lilith stepped forward and Eda automatically growled at her, causing the raven-haired witch to flinch slightly.

“Edalyn, there’s something else you need to know. Something that has to do with Luz.” 

***

“Amiiittty, are we almost there yet?” Luz groaned as she walked backwards through the forest, gently being tugged along by the rope she had tied around her waist.

“Almost there _Chaos._ Just be a little more patient.”

“You said that like, 3 ‘a little more patients ago’.” The human grumbled as she stared at her feet. 

They were headed to meet up with Willow and Gus, all of them agreeing to meet up before school started. Luz felt her heart race with excitement as she realized that they wouldn’t simply be going to class today. 

Today was the day they stole the portal back.

The trip out of Blight Manor had been much easier then the stealth mission in. Both Odalia and Alador had been called into work early that morning. With the twins still asleep, Amity had a clear shot to sneak Luz back out in the suitcase without anyone stopping her. 

Luz began to recognize the trees around her as she heard Willow’s voice calling out from a distance.

“There you two slowpokes are! We’ve been waiting for ages!”

Luz fought the urge to run ahead of Amity and wrap that voice in the biggest hug she could manage. Oh titan had she missed Willow. 

“Amittttyyy, come onnnn, can’t we move any faster?” Luz begged.

“You keep bothering me about it and I’ll go slower.” Amity threatened, but Luz felt the rope tighten as Amity picked up her pace.

“Um. Why exactly are you dragging Luz behind you with rope?” Luz heard Gus speak up next, sounding much closer then Willow had.

“It was her idea.” Amity shrugged. “She’s worried about Belos seeing you all.”

“It’s a valid concern!”

Luz felt the rope stop it’s pull and listened. She could hear shifting in the grass around her. They must’ve made it.

“Now come on. You know what to do.” Luz continued, her nerves and excitement making it nearly impossible to just stand there and wait.

She felt more then heard Amity sigh. “Willow?” The witch prompted gently.

“On it. Is everyone sure on what they want?” Willow asked timidly.

“For sure!!” Gus chimed in excitedly.

“Mhmm.” Amity nodded.

Luz heard the sparking effects of magic as she stared straight ahead, fighting the urge to turn around and watch. Wood cracked and groaned as it was formed and Luz heard Willow grunt as she snapped off each piece they needed. The human began to bounce in excitement as the sounds died down. She felt Amity shift behind her before she felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Alright. You can turn around now, Luz.”

Luz took a deep breath and undid the rope around her waist. She turned around slowly and faced her friends. 

They were all dressed in their school cloaks, their uniforms magically enchanted to be their default grey color. Looking up at each of her companions faces, Luz began to grin widely.

Willow had done a magnificent job. Just as Luz knew she would. The plant witch’s mask was made out of mahogany wood, decorated with a simple swirl around the right eye that fed into a water lily design that rested on the right side of the mask. The outside edges of both sides of the mask were decorated with cherry blossom petals, giving it a gorgeous feathered look.

Gus’s mask was a dark, rich, grey walnut wood. His mask was decorated with a large, even spiral that started on the outside and curled ever inward as it approached his eyes. The lighter wood coloring of the spiral gave it an almost a hypnotizing effect if looked at for too long.

Finally Luz turned to Amity. Whereas Gus and Willow’s masks took on a traditional masquerade look: thin, flat, winged masks that left the bottom half the face uncovered, Amity’s took on a similar look with the exception of a small beak that jutted out slightly from her face. It was carved out of pale, birch wood and had a blackened effect around the eye that gave the entire mask an elegant but haunted look. The only etchings on her mask were a pair of two parallel lines that ran straight down from each eye to the bottom of the mask.

“You all look… amazing!” Luz said excitedly. Her heart sank quickly as she realized she would be the odd one out. After all, Belos had already seen her face. There was no point in hiding it. 

“Well, duh! Of course we do! We can’t have our wanted posters be looking all dull now can we?” Gus boasted confidently as he posed dramatically. 

Luz giggled and turned to Willow.

“You. Are. Incredible. I still can’t believe you can bend wood into such complicated shapes.” 

“Oh well, it helps that the tree was so eager to help us.“ Willow blushed as she gently laid a hand on the Grom Tree Luz and Amity had created. It had just seemed fitting that they had used it to help them now.

Luz gave her friends a sad smile. 

“Alright, I guess we should go over our plan one last time.” Luz continued, forcing herself to move on. They had work to do after all. Before anyone said a word though, Luz felt a tap on her shoulder.

Turning around, she saw Amity smiling softly with her hands behind her back.

“Don’t think we forgot about you.” The witch said with a grin as she reached forward and gently fastened something over Luz’s face. 

Luz blinked as her eyes adjusted to the slightly obstructed view and she felt the light weight over her forehead and nose.

Her eyes met amber ones and Luz saw Amity’s face light up.

“Take a look at yourself.” Amity smiled, holding up her phone so the human could see her reflection.

Luz’s mask was a rich oak color and it had a small beak, just like Amity’s. It’s etching’s were simple, two lines ran horizontal from very edge of the wings, above the eyes, and arched gently up to meet in the middle of the forehead where they connected to form the circle around a small familiar design. Luz’s hand automatically went up and gently touched the light glyph, activating it. The lines etched in her mask began to glow in a soft, dim yellow light.

It was perfect.

Amity and Luz turned to face their companions once again. A grim seriousness fell over the group as they realized that it was about time.

The heist was ready to begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOSH. I am so excited right now guys, I don’t think you understand just how long I’ve waited to get to this moment. The realization of Luz’s feelings. The beginning of Eda and Lilith figuring it all out. _THE MASKS._
> 
> The heist begins next chapter.


	38. Infiltration and Distractions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _  
> **...2**  
>  _

The Isles were quiet as all 4 companions gathered on the hill overlooking the drawbridge of the castle. The new curfew Belos had enforced took effect tonight and everyone had already cleared off the streets as the group silently made their way to their lookout. 

The overwhelming silence had everyone on edge. 

All except one. 

After a few more moments of silence, some quick tapping of her hands and and scrunching of her face, Luz let out a terribly loud popping noise with her mouth. The alarming and sudden sound caused a ripple among the companions. Willow and Amity jumped while Gus tried imitating the noise... only to fail miserably and succeed in making a loud and wet squelching noise instead. 

"Gross." Willow giggled after a few seconds. 

Luz was already giggling as she turned to face Amity whose eyes paced back and forth behind her mask, making sure no one had heard them. 

"How long is this supposed to take anyways? Feels like we've been waiting here for hours!" Luz groaned softly. 

"It's only been about 20 minutes, and I don't know. The cart _usually_ gets here around this time, but it varies from day to day." Amity explained with a sigh, making sure to keep her voice down.

The first step of their plan had been the most critical. Without disrupting the palisman shipment, the link between Luz and Belos became a much bigger threat. It also served as a method to not only weaken the titan-whisperer for the night, but a way to get into his castle. With the drawbridge pulled back only for official visitors, there was no other way to stealthily cross the large pit of spikes that surrounded their goal.

Luckily for both the group, and Luz’s sanity, they didn’t have to wait much longer. 

The rumble of wheels in the distance indicated that it was time to begin. The foursome took their positions. Willow and Luz headed down the hill towards the drawbridge, while Gus and Amity hunkered down in the bushes by the road. 

There, both teams waited. 

As the cart approached, Luz turned and smiled at Willow with a wide grin. Nodding, the plant witch followed her lead. Combining glyph and plant magic, soon a large hedge wall sprouted out of seemingly nothing and completely blocked the dock to the drawbridge. The cart was forced to rumble to a complete stop just slightly in front of Gus and Amity. As the driver and passenger got out to investigate, Luz summoned a small light glyph from her hiding spot and let it fly into the air. Flashing twice before it faded, the other group knew that it was safe to approach.

Amity jumped into action, leaving Gus behind to be the eyes and back up. Sneaking towards the back of the cart the green-haired witch was met with a thick, complicated, iron lock. Just a quick glance at it told Amity that it’s mechanism was far more complex then one she had magicked open at the library. Taking a deep breath, she attempted the spell she had practiced. Feeling the magic pull at her fingers, it slowly worked it’s way through the lock. Just as she felt it begin to give, her magic was suddenly cut off, and Amity heard the pins rearrange themselves from inside the lock itself.

It was enchanted. 

They were going to need more time. 

On the other side of the cart the situation was going about as well. The two girl’s listened and watched as the guards from the Conformatorium approached the hedge wall. 

“Is this… is this new?” One asked.

The other smacked him upside the head.

“Of course it’s new! You remember this being here a day ago?!” He bellowed at his coworker before turning back to face the wall of plants. “The question is, which nincompoops at the plant coven thought this was a good idea?! It literally blocks the only entrance in and out of the castle!”

Pushing his companion out of the way, the angry guard summoned a large ball of fire into his hand. Before Luz and Willow even had the chance to glance at each other in a panic, the guard lobbed the flaming projectile straight at the wall. 

When the smoke and light cleared, there was a sizable hole in the wall they had summoned. Working quickly, Willow recovered before Luz could and closed her eyes to concentrate. Soon branches and foliage began to magically grow and heal as they repaired themselves to re-cover the hole. 

Luz glanced behind them, a small light spell floated silently above the cart, telling her that the other team still needed more time. 

The human turned back to Willow who was panting slightly from her efforts as the guard fumed and summoned yet another fireball into his hand. It was time for plan B. 

Amity turned back to her task after watching Gus send up the signal for more time. Biting her lip, she concentrated once again. Sending her magic into the lock once more, she guided it slowly through a different pattern, feeling the pins give way one by one. This time she felt when she hit the boundries of the enchantment. Pulling back with her magic at the last second, she managed to keep her connection as the defensive spell scanned around the last pin for any sign of intrusive, foreign magic. Finding nothing, it fell into a passive state and Amity was able to complete the last pin with no other issues. 

As soon as the lock hit the ground, Gus moved up from his position. He helped Amity quietly pull open the two doors on the back of the cart. Peering into the darkness, the two found what they were looking for. Despite being a fairly sizeable transportation vehicle, capable of moving a large group of prisoners, the only thing in the back was a lone, small, wooden crate. Amity wasted no time climbing inside and passing the box off to Gus, who grabbed it carefully and made a dash back to the bushes with the green-haired witch following closely behind. 

Once behind the safety of the shrubs, Amity quickly opened the crate to reveal 4 small wooden creatures, looking absolutely petrified. The witch stared at them each in horror, wondering if this was the same sickening feeling Luz had felt when she witnessed Belos's personal collection. Feeling a steady hand on her shoulder, she looked up to see Gus with a supportive smile on his face. Nodding, she reached gently inside and one by one set each palisman on the ground outside of the box. When they all were free, she turned to them with a brave smile she didn't quite feel. 

In front of her, trembling with fear, sat a small brown bat, a pure white cat, a brightly colored parrot and a dark green gecko. They all looked up at Amity like lost pets, and the witch supposed that's exactly what they were. 

"Well, go on then." Amity promoted gently. "Find the BatQueen. Tell her Luz sent you and she'll take care of you."

Understanding flashed in their eyes and in a blur of movement, they were gone, disappearing into the wild fields surrounding them. 

Amity gulped as Gus nodded. Their job was done.

Luz and Willow weren’t having as much luck. Plan B, otherwise known as ‘ _Plant B_ ’, had been to disguise the human in a complete plant suit in an attempt to distract or stall the guards if Gus and Amity hit a snag in picking the lock. It had started harmless enough. Sneaking the newly leafed Luz into the hedge wall was easy. Having her burst forward from inside to chastise the two guards about disrupting the spirits of nature and so forth had gone well enough, Luz was a pretty good actor after all. The problem came from the fact that the guards still had fire, and were now getting more and more frustrated with the delay. 

As Luz dodged yet another fireball being blasted her way, Willow desperately tried keeping the wall intact. It was taking quite a bit of strain on the both of them. Parts of Luz’s plant suit were singed and more then once the blast from the spells nearly knocked the human’s mask completely off her face, exposing the very _non_ -nature spirit underneath.

The girls relief came in the form of yet another light signal. With a joking, but plenty nervous, wave goodbye, Luz disappeared once more into the rebuilt plant wall and snuck out the side as the angry guard from before summoned his biggest fireball yet. It completely burned away any and all foliage in a large inferno of heat and light. With it, he burned away the group's only ruse and distraction. 

The kids had to move fast. Both guards, now satisfied with the destruction, headed back to the cart. 

It was time for step two of the infiltration. 

Reconvening with Gus and Amity, Willow and Luz snuck back along the road and crept to the side of the cart, thankfully still parked. 

Luz didn’t hesitate, she bent down onto her knees and gestured for her friends to climb up. Gus scrambled onto her back first, being the smallest and lightest. He struggled just a bit to reach the top of the cart, but once he had a grip, Luz stood and lifted him the rest of the way up. From on top, Gus helped Willow and Amity clamber up next. 

As Luz stood and wiped the dust off her pants the cart gave a loud and sudden creak, and in seconds it was moving again. Luz chased after it, reaching for Amity’s hands as Gus dangled her off the edge. Making a leap, their hand’s barely grazed past each other as Luz crashed to the ground. The alarm for the drawbridge sounded. 

Thinking quickly, Willow summoned what was left of the plant wall they had created and using a rather thick root catapulted Luz forward. The human landed extremely un-gracefully on the roof. Luckily the noise and commotion of her crash landing was covered by the massive shuddering of the earth as the drawbridge extended. Collecting herself Luz grabbed a handful of plant glyph’s, and spread them out around the roof of the transport. Everyone lay flat against the roof as Luz swiftly activated them, summoning a thick blanket of moss that covered the group in a low tent. Sitting up slightly, Gus drew a small spell circle and in an instant, the emerald green of the moss turned into the old graying wood color of the cart’s roof.

Successfully hidden, the cart finally rumbled forward along the drawbridge as they entered the castle courtyard and the next phase of the heist. 

***

_Belos paced anxiously in his chambers. Anxious. Now that was an emotion the titan-whisperer had not felt in quite some time. He stopped mid-stride and found himself grinning. This human and her meddling was irritating to be sure, but she did pose a challenge. One the emperor had not experienced in quite some time._

_The strain from their connection was felt even when it was not active. It was a wonder how he did not notice it before. Belos briefly wondered at how the human was still functioning under a similar strain, being the weak pitiful creature she was, before his thoughts were interrupted. He felt it in his body as the drawbridge was extended. Gliding out onto the balcony that over looked the castle courtyard, The Emperor of the Isles watched on as a lone transport truck bumped gently along the drawbridge. The sun was setting._

_Belos felt his long, clawed hands clench in anticipation as another fit wracked his body._

_It seemed like the Warden had followed instructions after all._

***

The cart rolled along gently through the courtyard and towards the castle as the group prepared themselves for the next step. Peaking out through the many holes in their cover, Amity took a deep breath. Luz gripped supportively to the witches arm as she concentrated. Drawing a large spell circle in the small space the moss tent provided them, the companions watched as an abomination began to slowly form directly in the middle of the road. The transport shuddered to a stop as the guards realized there was _someone_ in the road ahead. Gus reacted quickly, casting another spell at the same time as he released the one covering the moss. Suddenly the abomination wasn’t a lumbering hunk of goop anymore, but a fully robed Coven member. The cloaked and masked witch held out a stern hand as they began to lumber forward towards the cart, distracting the driver’s attention fully.

As Amity and Gus concentrated on their combined illusion, Luz tossed an ice glyph to the ground and with a quiet rumble, it summoned a clear ramp that connected the roof of the cart to the ground. Willow went first while Luz kept a lookout. Guiding Gus to the edge, the plant witch lifted him up effortlessly and slid down the ramp, running for the safety of some nearby boxes. 

Luz was next. As she approached Amity to help her down she heard the witch mumble a command. 

“Abomination… speak.” 

Below them, the coven member spoke slowly. 

“Halt… step out of… vehicle.” They commanded in broken and difficult speech.

Luz heard some cursing from inside the drivers seat of the cart, but the guards listened. Soon both driver and escort had stepped out of the vehicle and were approaching the abomination-illusion. The human didn’t waste any time. Scooping Amity up in her arms, she felt the green-hair witch go tense. 

“Relax.” Luz whispered awkwardly, shifting the witch again in her arms. “I've got to get you down... just um... focus on the spell.” She unconfidently assured the witch in her arms.

Amity went red, but shut her eyes and concentrated, leaning her head against Luz’s shoulders for support. If that small action nearly made Luz trip, she didn’t say anything, but the quick stutter in human’s step was undeniable as she moved closer to the edge.

“Abomination. Speak.” Amity commanded softly, twisting her hands out in front of her as Luz jumped off the cart and glided down the ramp. Dashing across the open space, Luz set Amity gently down behind the same boxes Willow and Gus were hiding by as the witch finished their diversion. The companions could only barely hear what was happening from their hiding spot.

“I just don’t understand why we are being stopped! Belos is already going to be irritated enough at the delay the Plant Coven cost us. I’m not about to be petrified because you wasted more of his time!” The angry guard complained loudly, tapping furiously at the Coven member’s chest. 

Pulling his hand back, he noticed the purple goop now coating it and made a face.

“Jeez, how long has it been since you showered?! Disgusting!” 

Luz giggled and hung over Amity’s shoulder as she watched the scene play out. The witch’s shoulders tightened as she issued it’s next command. 

“Abomination… leave.”

Ahead of them, the coven member shuddered, following the order it received wordlessly. Reaching a limp hand forward, they touched the fuming guard on the forehead, drawing a small pattern in the goop they had left. 

Luz had to squint to make out the heart that now adorned his head.

Amity’s face hit her hands. 

“I’m… sorry. I go now.” The abomination/illusion mumbled as it sharply turned on it’s heel and walked towards it’s master.

“Yeah… uh… yeah!” The driver barked, wiping his forehead with disgust. “Get out of here and take a shower! Titan’s sake even your hands are covered in gunk.” 

Willow chuckled as she put a hand on Amity’s shoulder supportively. The guards climbed back into the transport and left in a huff. As her abomination drew closer, Amity let the magic holding it together fade. 

“That… could’ve gone better.” She mumbled, her head still in her hands.

Luz grinned. “Nonsense. We’re in and no one suspects a thing!”

“Least of all you…” Willow mumbled under her breath, causing Amity to immediately choke.

***

The next phase of the heist was located in the first floor cafeteria. Their goal was to distract as many guards as possible and lure away Belos’s right hand witch, Kikimora, before they attempted to descend to the lower levels and the portal itself. 

It was risky, but without the distraction method they risked being discovered sooner and being overwhelmed if they were caught. Without Kikimora, Belos's orders would take longer to spread. 

They needed chaos. 

The transport had arrived at the perfect time as the cafeteria was just starting to come to life with guards filing in for dinner. However it took the group longer then expected to find a suitable way to sneak Luz into the cafeteria. They settled on ‘borrowing’ a dining cart from a chef who just so happened to be distracted by a nearby ‘spontaneous’ fire affecting his pants.

As they stood outside, tucked away in a small corridor that was completely empty, Luz prepared the cart. It was a simple white clothed cart, just large enough for someone to hide within the curtained bottom. Using a fire glyph the human burned a small, paper sized hole in the bottom, mumbling a quick apology as she did so. Next Willow handed her the small bag of seeds the plant witch had swiped yesterday at school. The man eating flowers they summoned would provide a decent struggle for anyone looking to get rid of them. It was quickly decided Gus would be the one to magic the cart, with Luz inside, around the exterior of the cafeteria. If anyone started to notice the cart moving by itself, they would abandon the perimeter and push Luz to the center where they would skip to step 2 and make a break for the nearest stairway.

Taking a deep breath, Luz climbed in, glyphs and seeds in hand. Gus slowly wheeled her inside. The human couldn't see anything from inside the cart and instead listened to the sounds of voices and footsteps to know when to begin slowly scattering the seeds. Gus's magic pushed the cart forward painfully slowly and soon Luz felt herself becoming anxious. Had it been long enough? Had anyone noticed? Was she using too many seeds?

Eventually she heard the voices pick up in volume and frequency. With their alarm the cart seemed to pick up speed as well. She felt it turn suddenly and launch forward. Luz poured what was left of the seeds out onto the ground and prepared her glyphs. They had been noticed. It was time for step two. 

From outside the cart, the group of 3 friends launched into motion as well. With Luz rocketing forward and gaining the attention of everyone in the room, the companions were able to sneak into the cafeteria and to the other side with no issue or suspicion. As they sped through, Amity peeled away from Willow and Gus and covered the other entrances with a thin line of seeds each. Then, crossing over to where Willow and Gus were waiting, the green-haired witch stood and prepared herself. 

When Luz was in the very center of the cafeteria and all the guards started to converge on the cart, everything exploded into action.

From inside the cart Luz waited for the signal, a full 360 spin of her cart, before she quickly activated and tossed 4 ice glyphs out on to the ground around her. Creating a border of ice surrounding the cart, any guards who were close quickly slipped and fell. 

While Luz was distracting the guards, Willow activated the seeds with her magic. With a low but loud rumbling, the entire room was suddenly filled with vines. Giant flowers quickly sprouted from those vines and they lashed out and bit whoever came near. The cafeteria turned to chaos. Someone yelled that they needed assistance and someone else replied that Kikimora was on her way. A cry for back-up was heard from somewhere in the midst of the vines.

The companions grinned. The plan had worked. Now it was time to make their exit. Amity summoned a large abomination to stand at their side while they waited. 

They were still missing someone.

Luz heard all of the commotion from inside the cart. Knowing their plan had gone well, it was time to evacuate before she was caught. With a broad smile no one could see, Luz grabbed a special glyph from her bag. Setting it very carefully down through the hole in her cart, she gently tapped it and waited. 

A rumbling even louder then the one before echoed throughout the cafeteria as the thorn-vault launched the lone cart that started the mischief high up in the air. Luz finally allowed herself to peak out from the curtain and was greeted with a literal wall of vines as Willow covered her escape. Waiting until the last possible second as she hit the peak of the catapult, Luz launched herself out of the cart, spinning in the air as she fell. 

Amity was there waiting, ready to collect her. With a loud splat, Luz landed harmlessly into the abominations arms. The two girls grinned at each other. The thorn-vault triumphed again. The abomination melted and with it, Luz’s feet hit the floor. Without missing another beat, all 4 companions turned to sprint out of the room as the wall of vines grew to cover the last of the entrances.

They headed towards the nearest staircase, which as they planned, was completely barren due to the chaos happening in the cafeteria. Skidding to a stop, Luz herded her friends into the stairwell as she pulled a piece of chalk from her bag. With it, she drew a large ice glyph. Making sure she was in the stairwell with her friends, Luz reached forward and tapped the very edge of the glyph. A giant cylinder of ice appeared and completely covered the stairwell. Although she couldn’t prove it, Luz knew the ice wouldn’t melt. Grinning, she stood behind Gus and put her hands on his shoulders. Gus straightened with pride before casting his part of the spell. The ice cylinder in front of them shifted in front of their eyes. While they could still see through it, the illusion from the outside made it appear as though the ice was simply another wall. Unless you knew the castle or had a map, one would ever suspect there was once a staircase there.

Giving Gus’s shoulders a supportive squeeze, Luz glanced at her companions. Willow beamed at her while Amity eyes flashed with worry. The human gulped before putting on a wide, brave smile. She nodded at Amity who pulled out the map Lilith had drawn them.

The steps were complete. 

It was a straight shot to the portal from where they were. There was just one more floor to sneak through, one more floor full of the most powerful and versatile witches the Isles had ever seen. Once they passed the Emperor’s Coven, they would arrive at the staircase leading to the spare room Lilith theorized might hold the portal.

Slipping into the darkness of the stairwell, the companions crawled forward carefully. 

***

_”What do you mean… you’ve lost it?” Belos growled calmly._

_The guard in front of him froze. Luckily his friend jumped to his aide, seemingly unperturbed by the obvious anger lying behind the calm demeanor the Emperor put out._

_“It’s not that we lost it, per say, Emperor Belos sir! The two men in charge of the transport have been taken into custody and are being interrogated as we speak by the Warden himself! They’re saying something about a nature spirit and a dirty coven member covered in abomination goop. The Warden doesn’t seem to believe them.” He explained with earnest, snapping to attention in front of his lordship._

_“But the shipment still remains lost…” Belos drawled slowly, looking at the guard expectantly._

_“Uh… yes. Yes, we haven’t been able to find it sir. What with the commotion happening in the cafeteria an-“_

_Belos silenced the guard with a swipe of his hand, sitting up straighter and fixing the pathetic pair in front of him with a hard glare._

_“What do you mean, commotion?” He questioned dangerously._

_This time the first guard spoke up, seemingly getting excited._

_“Oh! Well, there are giant man-eating flowers everywhere! They just… appeared. Like out of nowhere.”_

_“Some people are saying they saw a mysterious cart that was just moving around on it’s own before the place exploded. You… uh… you didn’t know sir? Kiki-mora is down there helping out and everything.”_

_Belos’s eyes narrowed._

_“I trust my assistant not to bother me about situations that she is more then capable of handling.” He growled lowly, clearly irritated._

_The titan-whisperer stood up suddenly and loomed above the two guards who immediately dropped to their knees in front of him._

_“Find whoever is available outside of this ‘disturbance’ and begin searching the castle perimeter immediately for this lost shipment. The titan is not pleased about this slip-up and I fear the consequences that may befall anyone who delays the acquisition of the sensitive material inside…” Belos droned threateningly above them._

_Thankfully, they shut up with their banter long enough to nod quickly and turn to leave. As they exited the throne room he heard them begin to excitedly discuss the events in the cafeteria once more._

_“Did you hear, someone said they saw an actual ‘thorn-vault’ happen from inside the core of the plants! Do you think whoever pulled it off could be an Azura fan too?!”_

_The door closed before the rest of the conversation could reach his ears. Which was fortunate because a surge of anger manifested into an explosion of red energy from the staff the Emperor clutched tightly to._

_**Azura**. _

_The name was like the final piece of a puzzle that seemed to confirm his suspicions._

_The missing shipment. The plants in the cafeteria splitting his forces. Even the goop covered ‘coven member’. Belos didn’t get to where he was by playing dumb. He knew those events were connected and knew exactly who would be bold enough to interrupt his plans yet again._

_He turned to his side where a mirror lay and a plan began to formulate in his head._

_“Little human… you seem to forget the cards I hold.” He purred to himself as he picked up the mirror._

_“Odalia Blight. Please join me in the throne room immediately. We have some matters to discuss concerning your **daughter**.”_

***

“Alright. I’ve had it. I’m going out looking for her.” Eda growled, shoving aside her sister and pushing out the door.

“Then I’m coming with you.“ Lilith confirmed solemnly, gliding after the wild witch. 

The sun had begun to set as Lilith walked outside. They had been anxiously waiting for Luz to come home all day, intent on confronting her about the glowing blue eyes Lilith had explained to Eda and the ‘side effect’ Amity had mentioned. 

The human never showed. As the hours ticked by Eda began to grow more and more frazzled. Now she stood coldly outside and barely acknowledge Lilith as she stepped next to her.

“Do what you want Lilly.” Eda grumbled before snapping her fingers. With an echoing cry Owlbert crashed through the living room window. 

Lilith winced. “Edalyn! How do you plan on fixing that without magic?!” She questioned sharply.

“Hmm. Guess I didn’t think of that…” Eda stroked her chin as if in thought before closing her eyes and shrugging. “Oh well… _KING!!_ ” She bellowed.

There was a crash from inside the house before King launched himself through the very broken window in question and latched onto Eda’s hair. 

“Present! Where we going?” The little demon asked curiously.

“We are tracking down Luz’s friend’s parents. I have a sneaking suspicion that those dumb kids are up to something. And I demand to be included. Especially if it concerns, _my_ dumb kids. All of them.” 

King’s eyes sparkled with mischief.

“Well then… I can help with that. I may have done some reconnaissance on those two when they first showed up here.” He grinned.

When both Clawethorn sisters stared at him, he merely shrugged.

“What? A guy can’t look out for his boo-boo buddy by stalking her friend’s homes?” 

“Creepy methods aside, that’s the best we got.” Eda shrugged with a sly grin. “Lead the way my old friend!” 

Lilith stared after the pair as they headed down the road. King had scampered off Eda’s hair and was bounding ahead on the trail leading away from the Owl House. Before they were both nearly out of sight, Eda turned around and looked back at the raven-haired witch with a raised eyebrow.

“Well? You coming or what? We’ve got some kids to find.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sick. Heh...
> 
> So many apologizes for how long this took. I am... not as good at writing pure actions scenes as I would like. And a heist consists of... well a lot of those. Not only that but this is the first time I have tried not writing from a perspective. IT WAS SO DIFFICULT. I DUN LIKE IT. 
> 
> There are probably going to be some errors on this chapter purely because of the length and because I wrote this in between 12 hour sleeping sessions trying to keep my body functioning. Trust me though, I still had a blast writing it. I have been waiting for so long for this heist! Now we are in the thick of it. With Eda and Lilith on the trail and Belos seemingly understanding exactly what is happening... I wonder what’s going to happen next. Hehehehe.
> 
> See y’all next update~


	39. Wanted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **  
>  __  
>  ...1   
>    
>  **

Amity watched as Luz’s face beamed once more. Willow, Gus and Luz had just fooled yet another guard as they crept forward along their path to the chamber where the portal lay. The way the trio effortlessly blended together their different strengths was awe-inspiring. They were a dream team. 

Amity puttered behind them silently. 

The young witch had once wondered at how such a rag team team of misfits were somehow, always, able to get themselves out of mischief and trouble to accomplish feats that no witch had seen in years. The defeat of Detention, the trials of the BatQueen, the Conjuring night. Now it made sense. Witnessing Luz and Co. traveling through the lower level of the castle, fooling and outwitting the most powerful witches the isles have ever known through a variety of methods was entrancing. 

It wasn’t just friendship, or luck, or whatever else Amity might have once convinced herself. This was skill. This was intelligence. 

Amity eyes scanned the group ahead of her, her eyes lingering on Luz as the human seemed to fall slightly behind her friends. The witch blinked. She hadn’t noticed it before, too distracted by their plan and each step to notice it, but Luz’s steps lagged just a little slower then the others. 

Within seconds of noticing the exhaustion in her crush’s back, Amity noticed Luz’s foot drag just a little longer then normal and the action caused the human to fall forward, suddenly putting her completely off balance. Amity was by her side in a second, lunging forward to catch her. 

Gus and Willow were slightly ahead of them and paused to look back worriedly. 

“I’m alright.” Luz grinned at them before looking back up at Amity. 

Panic seemed to race in her eyes as the human practically launched herself out of the witch’s supportive arms.

“Uh. Thanks Amity!” She practically squeaked. Turning to stare at her friends with an arm raised behind her head, Luz smiled sheepishly. 

“You two creep ahead, I’m going to hang back with Amity and help watch our backs.” She told them, tossing the map to Willow who immediately passed it to Gus who had his hands held out eagerly.

“Alright.” Willow nodded supportively, turning to follow as Gus rushed ahead, excited to be put in charge of leading the group.

“You ok _Chaos_?” Amity asked quietly as the two began to walk again.

Luz seemed to tense at her side and Amity immediately knew she was hiding something.

“Don’t even think about lying either.” Amity shot quickly as Luz opened her mouth.

The human scowled at her before her face relaxed. The mask may have done a good job at hiding a lot of Luz’s features, but the bags under her eyes were still visible. The soft glow from the light glyph etched into the mask illuminated the dark circles and Amity realized with a shock just how _tired_ Luz appeared.

“I’m ok. Really. I can keep going. I won’t let this heist fail just cause I’m a little tired!” Luz whispered confidently, looking at her feet as she walked. 

Ahead of them, Gus raised a hand indicating that they should stop. Luz didn’t notice that her friends had stopped and was about to walk right out into the crossroads before Amity grabbed her by the arm and yanked her back.

Willow and Gus looked back at them with worry as Luz bit her lip with guilt.

“We’ve got a group of 5 witches up ahead. They all seem to be… _chatting._ ” Gus explained, narrowing his eyes.

“So they won’t be moving any time soon.” Amity finished for him, still clinging to Luz’s arm. 

“Worse. It looks like they’re coming this way!” Willow interrupted suddenly, peeking around the corner before immediately pulling her head back in a panic.

Gus looked down at the map in his hands, he pointed down at a specific room marked “Private Quarters”.

“We passed this room just a bit ago, we can duck inside for a bit while we wait for them to pass!” He exclaimed as he ran back the way they came. 

The girls flashed each other a look. 

“Gus! Wait!” Amity hissed as she realized where he planned on going. “We don’t want to go in there. That’s the head of the coven’s room!” Amity exclaimed in a loud whisper as she felt Luz tense at her words. 

The human wasted no time and launched into motion after the boy.

“We have to go after him! Let’s go!” She urged her friends, pulling Amity and Willow along with her. 

Dashing down the long corridor they had just crossed, the trio barely kept up with Gus as he skidded into a large ornate doorway. The voices of the witches behind them were getting closer so Amity couldn’t risk calling out again. She knew what could be waiting in that room. It had already been a couple of days since Lilith had lost her position and been exiled with Eda. There was only one possibility for next in line for the head of the most powerful coven…

Amity could only pray that her mother wouldn’t be in her room.

***

Eda pounded on the door to the Porter’s small home. Lilith winced with each loud thump. Her green eyes flitted worriedly around the empty neighborhood. There were posters hanging up everywhere advertising the new curfew that was in effect. It seemed everyone had taken it seriously as the street was hauntingly quiet. 

All except for her sister.

“Come on Perry! I know you’re in there!” The Owl Lady practically yelled as she continued her knocking.

The door opened suddenly as Eda barely caught herself before her fist slammed down on a very tired looking man wrapped in a robe and bunny slippers. His eyes widened in alarm as he saw the two siblings standing at his doorstep. Glancing around them for any guards, Perry Porter narrowed his eyes.

“What are you doing here? How did you escape your curse?!”

“Oh please Perr, enough with the questions already. I’m not here for an interview. In fact I just have one for you and I’ll be out of your hair.” Eda rolled her eyes, lounging against the doorframe and preventing the reporter from closing it. 

Instead Perry grabbed the bridge of his nose and rubbed it in annoyance. 

Lilith immediately knew his pain.

“And why should I answer any of your questions Eda? You seem to have gotten the Isles in a lot of trouble with your latest stunt. Or are you somehow unaware of the curfew that was enforced today?” He grumbled, accepting his fate and crossing his arms.

As Eda and the little demon on her shoulder bristled with anger and were about to retort, Lilith stepped forward, eager to ease the tension and move along the conversation. They were running out of time.

“Please Mr. Porter. It’s about your son. Luz and her friends have been hiding something from all of us lately. We just want to figure out what’s going on before they get themselves into trouble.” She exclaimed patiently.

“Augustus is spending the night at Willow’s house. They were going to study for finals, he even left early this morning to meet up with her. I told him to stay away from that human of yours. She seems to be just as reckless and distracting as Edalyn was in school. I trust that he is doing just as he told me.”

“That’s one of the oldest lies in the book, seems like my kid isn’t the only one keeping secrets.” Eda snorted.

Perry narrowed his eyes in a glare. “What are you implying?”

“I’m not _implying_ anything. I’m telling you. Your kid lied to you.” Eda met his glare with one of her own. 

Lilith stood in between the fuming parents and held her hands out. 

“Enough. Perry, if you don’t believe us you can simply follow. I too doubt that Gus is where he says he is but we don’t have time to waste squabbling.” Lilith proposed before looking at King.

“Alright King, lead the way to Willow’s next.” Lilith commanded as the little demon’s eyes lit up with delight.

***

The room was thankfully empty as the companions all stepped inside. They found Gus looking up in wonder at the many posters hanging over the walls. They were all bounties. Outlaws. Every single one had a red X drawn through it. Amity looked at them only briefly before fixing her eyes on the floor. She had been in this room once before, when Lilith was summoned back to the castle during one of their training sessions. She had been told to wait while Lilith talked with the Emperor himself.

Amity remembered being so incredibly awed at the idea of talking with the leader of The Boiling Isles that she didn’t notice how stressed her mentor was immediately following her meeting. Or how they ended the session early that day.

Amity felt a hand on her shoulder, and the action shook the witch violently out of the memory. 

“Amity.” Luz prompted gently, so quiet that Amity knew the others couldn’t hear. “Look…”

Amity peeled her eyes off the ground. It was clear that this wasn’t Lilith’s room anymore. Besides the wanted posters hanging all over the ceiling, the décor had completely changed. It seemed far more elegant… the entire place screamed wealth. Amity was vaguely aware of Gus and Willow on the other side of the room discussing an artifact of some kind but her mind couldn’t focus. Her sight followed Luz’s outstretched hand to a small desk with a mirror. On the desk itself rested a large ornate jewelry box, identical to the one Odalia had given her daughter. The image of the box alone would’ve been enough to disturb Amity, but that wasn’t what rattled her the most.

Tucked into the corner of the mirror, was a child’s drawing. Amity recognized it immediately, the image cutting through her like a knife. 

Luz lowered her hand, now confident Amity had seen what she needed to. The hand slipped off her shoulder and Amity found herself immediately reaching for it at her side. Luz complied wordlessly, reaching out as well with her own hand. Their fingers intertwined as the pair took a step forward.

As they drew closer Amity felt Luz tense beside her. The witch knew exactly why. She had drawn this picture when she was younger, before her split with Willow, before she had even really come into her powers. On the page, there was a little girl with long chestnut hair. Her body was clothed with the familiar robes of the Emperor’s Coven. These robes were a little different though. On her chest was an emblem, squinting she could only barely make out the crude words: Head Witch: Amity Blight. In the witch’s hands was a weapon that both her and Luz immediately recognized as Azura’s signature staff.

Under the doodle were the words: _When I grow up, I want to be just like my mother! Head of the Emperor’s Coven!_

Amity remembered very clearly the day she had made this. Remembered her mother chuckling and patting her on the cheek saying that the sentiment was nice, but meant nothing if Amity couldn’t put in the work. She remembered her mother’s eyes hardening as she looked down at the emblem on the little girl’s chest. Back then, little Amity didn’t know her mother wasn’t head of the Coven. Didn’t know the bitter resentment that lurked in her mother’s heart.

The green-haired witch tore her eyes off of the picture and stared at their reflections. Framed in the mirror, with masks covering both of their faces, Luz and Amity were a far cry from the little girl in the picture. 

They looked like they belonged on one of the many Wanted Posters covering the room. Amity wondered how long it would be before they too were covered in one of her mother’s red X’s.

“Hey.” Luz spoke up suddenly from beside her. She felt the human squeeze her hand comfortingly and it took all of Amity’s effort not to lean into Luz’s shoulder. “You ok?”

Amity stared once more at the picture in the corner before looking off to her side.

“No… but, we need to get going.” The witch admitted honestly. Her body felt hollow. She could feel the human staring at her, those wide eyes burning through her body with concern, but thankfully Luz simply nodded.

“Ok.” She said softly, before gently tugging on their hands and pulling them over to Gus and Willow. 

The pair was standing by the door and it was obvious to Amity that they were respectfully giving them both some space and time. She looked at Gus.

“Did they pass?” 

“Yes! I’ve been listening for any signs of anyone else down the hallway and it seems clear.” He answered confidently. 

“Alright. It should be straight shot to the stairs from here then. Is everyone ready? It’s a one way in and out. If we get caught there… it’s going to be a fight.” Amity announced sullenly, gripping Luz’s hand tighter as she stared at each of her companions in turn. 

Luz grinned at her, their eyes meeting last. “Let’s go steal a portal.” 

Everyone nodded and one by one they filed out into the hallway, sneaking back through it once more. The walk was uneventful as Gus turned out to be correct. There were no guards left to stop them. Entering the stairwell, Luz drew another glyph, this time summoning a much more durable wall of plants that Willow then strengthened. It would take any witch a long time to cut or burn their way through. Gus casted the same illusion he did with the ice wall before and with it, sealed them safely inside the portal room. Before they all turned to descend the steps Luz spoke up.

“Oh, wait! I wanted to give you all one of these before we started.” The human exclaimed, digging into her bag and pulling out 3 glyphs. She passed them to each of her friends quickly.

Amity looked down at the carefully drawn symbol in front of her. She recognized it as a copy of the BatQueen’s glyph. The one Luz had been struggling to get to work.

“I don’t know how they work, or if they even will, but Eda taught me it was better to be prepared. So prepared we shall be!” Luz announced confidently with a grin.

Tucking it carefully into her pocket, Amity watched as Gus and Willow did the same. As a group, they entered the chamber that contained the portal.

***

“What do you mean Augustus isn’t here?! My son told me he’d be here so he’d better be here!” Perry Porter exclaimed angrily. 

The two men who answered the door looked at each other with concern.

“Willow said she would be staying the night with Gus today when she left! Are you saying you don’t know where our little sprout is?” The darker skinned man asked, the concern apparent in his voice. Lilith knew his name to be Rowan from one of the many reports she had read during her time as Coven Leader.

Kevin, his husband, rubbed his love’s back comfortingly as Eda crossed her arms and a scowl darkened her face.

“So both your kids lied to you, and mine snuck off late last night and didn’t tell anyone where she was going.” The Owl Lady summed up shortly. 

All eyes flicked to her.

“That can only mean one thing. Trouble. And they’ve decided not to include me in it.” Eda announced, peeling herself off the railing she had leaned against. 

With King gripping tightly to her head, the wild witch turned to leave. Lilith, Perry, Kevin and Rowan all stared after her, at a loss for words. In the distance they could hear the gentle clattering of a patrol cart. 

Lilith turned to the others with an apologetic smile. “Thank you for your time gentlemen.” She nodded curtly before turning to follow her sister. 

Suddenly there was a hand on her shoulder, stopping her from advancing. Turning around she was met with the piercing dark blue eyes of Kevin. 

“Where are they?” He growled lowly. 

“I don’t know… but I have an idea.” Lilith said solemnly, not quite understanding the fear in the father’s eyes, but recognizing it all the same.

“Then you’ll be taking us with.” Rowan spoke up from beside his husband. 

The two men glanced towards Perry who merely nodded. Lilith knew there was no leaving them behind and sighed. 

“Edalyn!” The raven-haired witch called out over her shoulder. “Looks like we’ll have company on our trip.” 

Eda stopped and groaned loudly. “Well you all better hurry it up then! The longer we wait, the more trouble they end up in.” 

Lilith rolled her eyes and followed her sister onto the road. They _had_ to move or they would be caught breaking curfew. Eda waited for them ahead on a hill overlooking the castle. With Owlbert perched on her shoulder and in the twilight of the night, she cut an intimidating figure and if Lilith hadn’t know the witch all of her life, she would’ve been nervous to approach. 

Taking a step forward, Lilith felt her heart clench painfully, almost as if the muscle itself was on fire. The pain quickly faded however and the former coven member fell to her knees, completely drained. A flash of her palisman Roc entered her mind and left just as fast as her eyes drooped. She heard shouts of alarm from behind her as Lilith could barely make out her sister’s form turn around suddenly. Eda sprinted towards her sister the second she saw that Lilith had fallen. In the distance, behind the Owl Lady, the sky exploded with a glowing yellow light.

***

The chamber they entered was massive. Luz’s mouth hung wide open as she stared upwards at the towering ceiling. Despite having been here through Belos’s eyes, it didn’t take away from the wonder she felt entering the room. The portal stood a fair distance away, and there was no teleporting to it like last time. The walk seemed to take ages and she heard Gus begin to chitter excitedly beside her.

“This place is incredible!” He exclaimed, his voice echoing in the fairly empty room. “The ingenuity of the structure is nearly flawless.”

Luz had to agree, the mechanism surrounding the portal seemed to have been completed in the short time since she had seen it last. It gave her hope as she broke out into a sprint. Eyes locked on the one door she thought she wouldn’t see again, she felt that hope make her lighter. This was the door to her mother. They had made it. 

Amity broke off first, wandering towards a small clustering of machinery a few feet to the side of the portal. Her face was down and Luz made a mental note of how quiet and withdrawn her friend seemed but Gus distracted her before she was able to follow up on the note. He somehow passed the human in her sprint and approached the door first. Circling it with his hand to his chin. Luz took the steps 2 at a time and froze in front of the portal.

The eye was still dim and lifeless but Luz couldn’t forget the way it had onceglowed. One of her hands reached out for the handle, as the other went to the key hanging around her neck. A voice called out and stopped her before she clicked the button.

“Luz wait!” Willow exclaimed suddenly. The witch reached forward and put a hand on Luz’s shoulder, snapping her out of the trance she had entered. Turning around she was met with emerald eyes full of concern. “We can’t risk activating it and alerting Belos. Not until we get it out of the castle.”

Luz felt her heart drop, but it recovered swiftly. Right. They were here to steal it. Luz would have plenty of time to come and go as she pleased once they had it back. She pulled the key out of her shirt and let it rest against her chest. 

“I uh… I don’t think it’s going to be as easy as that Willow.” Gus said, his voice slightly muffled as he stood behind the door.

Willow turned to him with a raised eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Gus walked around to the other side of the portal and Luz shivered at his expression. She knew that face. It was the one her mother would often give her as she was ‘encouraged’ out of yet another school. It was the look of bad news. One that was out of their control.

“See this?” Gus pointed up at the white circle encompassing the platform they were standing on. “That is keeping the door fixed in place.” 

Gus looked down at Amity who was examining what now appeared to be a control panel of sorts. She looked up in concern as he spoke. All 3 companions stared as the boy struggled to find the right words to say.

“The door won’t work unless powered by that control panel there. It seems the damage you did when you blasted it was permanent. If we remove the door from this base, we risk it falling apart completely. If it doesn’t fall apart, I doubt it will be able to conduct the magic needed to maintain the link between worlds. This entire set-up is designed to funnel power directly to the portal.”

Luz blinked as the information processed. She opened her mouth to speak but found no words coming out. 

Was he really saying what she thought he was saying?

“We can’t take it, can we? This entire heist… it was a waste.” Amity aired the human’s concerns out loud. 

Gus nodded solemnly. 

“I’m sorry Luz. If we try and take it, we’ll lose the portal forever…” He croaked out eventually.

Willow turned away, pacing down the stairs, clearly upset. Amity’s face turned once again to the control panel as her hands clenched at her sides. 

Luz stared at the door in front of her.

A waste. 

She risked… everyone’s safety, for nothing. In rebuilding the portal, Belos had put it even further out of their reach. The whole thing just seemed so unfair. Luz’s fist hit the metal structure surrounding the portal and Gus jumped with the loud echoing sound it made.

“No… it… can’t be. We can’t have gotten this far for nothing!” Luz exclaimed, her voice coming out in a desperate wail.

“I’m sorry Luz.” Gus echoed again, staring at the floor. “It looks like we could power it on, if we had enough energy, but given the state of the door… it would be a one way trip. The energy required to power it would probably blast apart the door once someone went through. Belos is saving this for something big.”

Luz found that she couldn’t move. Her entire world had been shattered. A one way trip. It was like facing Belos all over again. Choosing this world or her mother. It was an impossible choice and yet Luz knew exactly which one was the right answer. 

Gus shuffled down the stairs to join Willow as they waited for any instruction on how to proceed with this new development. What they were even supposed to do next.

Luz was left alone to say goodbye, once again. 

The human clenched her eyes tightly shut as the hope that she had felt so lightly in her chest crashed down in a crushing sorrow the filled her bones with it’s weight.

A thundering metal clank echoed around the chamber as light flooded the room. The air vibrated with power. Luz’s eyes snapped open as her head turned towards the sound. 

Amity’s face was completely shadowed in the light of the blue electricity that flowed out of her hand and into the control panel that it had just been slammed down onto. 

“Amity?” Luz asked as she desperately glanced around her. The power from the panel had traveled along the outer ring of the portal and beams of glowing yellow light flooded into the door. The eye in the center was illuminated once more.

Luz realized in a second what had happened. _This_ was her one chance. The witch had made the choice for her. Her gaze shot back to Amity, her eyes searching for some sort of answer on the witch’s face.

Amity lifted her head slowly. Behind her mask those beautiful amber eyes were watery.

“Luz…” Amity started, but Luz doubled over in pain as a familiar acid-like burning filled her vision.

“ _Luz!!_ ” Amity cried out as Luz lost her balance and fell to her knees. 

The human heard Belos’s voice in her ears as she struggled to remain conscious.

“ _Come little human, I have something to show you…_ ” He chuckled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So who all saw this coming? I’ll let you in on a little secret, I already have Chapter 40 written up and ready to post, but I can’t let you all escape a cliffhanger as big as this that easily. I’ll post it in two days so I hope you all enjoy the wait~


	40. Safe At Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
>  **  
> _... :D_  
>  **  
> 

The rag tag team of adults and parents, rushed towards the castle as the yellow glow illuminated the building against the starry sky. Above them a shadow snuffed out what little light the moon casted as it soared above them with a thundering screech. Eda stopped in her rush, shifting Lilly to the side as she glanced upward. The wild witch recognized that screech, the implications of what it meant sending an icy shiver down her spine. Perry, Kevin and Rowan all followed her gaze as they stared at the most powerful and dangerous demon of the Boiling Isles flying overhead.

The Bat Queen was headed towards the castle.

***

_Luz knew where she was immediately. Belos chuckled to himself as the human began to immediately struggle against his hold. The cold laughter of the titan-whisperer was confident and cocky. The sound made Luz pause. There was something different about this time._

_Belos’s body didn’t hurt. It didn’t struggle. Power radiated off of him. Her eyes, or his, looked down at the wooden creature clutched in his fist. Luz’s heart skipped a beat as he tossed the drained palisman back into it’s elaborate cage. Roc’s body shuddered as it bounced off the bars and landed with a loud clank in the center of the cage. There was a large gash across his neck and bile still dripped from the wound, but he was still alive. Those once lifeless eyes stared up into Luz’s in terror. Belos clacked his staff to the ground and the birdcage and Roc disappeared in a electrifying red flash._

_“Clever plan you had there, little human. Interrupting my shipment of palismans to weaken me. You seem to forget however, that I have a fairly sizable number of these creatures collected from the strongest witches on the Boiling Isles.” Belos chuckled to himself, knowing that Luz was forced to listen._

_The human felt herself struggling, writhing and wiggling, trying desperately to get some sort of control. He can’t just keep doing this. There was no point in hiding, Belos was just toying with her. As she continued to put up a fight Luz felt the magic binding her to the Emperor tighten painfully. It felt like she was being crushed and burned at the same time. Luz cried out in pain but the throne room remained completely quiet._

_“Relax.” The Emperor purred menacingly. “You should really stick around to see the consequences of your actions.”_

_The loud clacking of Belos’s staff on the ground summoned his visitor into the room. Luz’s breath caught in her throat as she immediately recognized the person who emerged from the double doors on the opposite end of the throne room._

_Odalia Blight glided her way through the room effortlessly and bowed before her majesty._

_“You called Lord Belos?” She asked obediently._

_Fear raced through Luz’s heart like fire. She felt Belos's giddiness as he picked up on the human’s terror._

_**Amity…** _

_“Odalia my dear, are you aware of where your daughter is currently?” Belos spoke after a short pause._

_Luz felt her heart rate rise, but Belos’s breathing remained the same. Panic was over taking her in a body that was completely calm. The sensation made her sick, but she couldn’t concentrate. The human was forced to watch on in horror as Odalia smiled._

_“Do you mean Amity? Of course my lord, she is currently at home, studying up on the human as you requested her to.” Odalia said with a hint of pride dripping off her sickeningly smooth tone._

_Belos chuckled lowly as Luz once again tried to escape. To struggle against the bindings that held her. She had to get out. She had to warn Amity. She had to protect her…_

_“Oh how foolish you are my dear Blight. Your daughter isn’t at home.” He laughed ominously._

_Luz’s struggles became frantic, but Belos seemed not to notice. The human wasn't going **anywhere**._

_Odalia’s eyes flashed with concern before her expression settled into calm once again._

_“What do you mean?”_

_“I mean, that as we speak, your daughter and the human are currently in the portal chamber, attempting to ‘steal’ it back.”_

__No!!_ Luz tried desperately to scream, but her voice wasn’t her own. The body she was trapped in didn’t budge even as her struggling turned almost feral in it’s velocity. Belos tightened the bindings once more as Luz felt phantom tears run down her face._

_“No…” Odalia whispered, looking as though she had been slapped._

_“Are you calling me a liar?” Belos narrowed his eyes at the Coven Leader in front of her._

_The stern woman kneeling on the ground stood up suddenly and stumbled backwards._

_“N-no! Belos, my lord. I would never.” Odalia stuttered._

_“I know it can be hard to believe that those we keep close could betray and lie to us, but what I’m saying is true. Normally the punishment for such treason would be severe. Petrification. How terrible would it look if I was to grant special treatment to a traitor despite my high expectations for her. Perhaps, as my head witch, and trusted friend, you could explain to me why I should spare the girl?” Belos drawled out._

_Luz froze. Her struggling settled as her heart beat thudded loudly in her ears._

_Petrification… Amity…_

_The words refused to rest in her mind. They just couldn’t be true. This couldn’t be happening. How could she let this happen?! He couldn’t mean it. To petrify Amity would mean to erase her, she would be gone forever. Despite the crime there was no way Belos could be serious. This was a bluff._

_There was a flash of something resembling fear in Odalia’s eyes before they hardened in anger. Luz watched the woman’s face closely but the emotions were genuine._

_Belos was completely serious._

_“I assure you, my lord, that petrification is too light of a punishment for the child. Give me one more chance to discipline her. The punishments I can come up with will be more severe then even the Conformatorium. You know as well as I do just how powerful Amity is. She can be beneficial to our cause. It just seems I have been too lax with her. She needs to be… reformed. I will cut off all of her ties and burn away the distractions in her mind. It seems that that, creature, that... human, has somehow poisoned my daughter’s mind. Give me the time to rectify her effect on my daughter. She will learn to be loyal. I swear.” Odalia pledged, once again hitting her knees._

_Belos hummed as Luz’s panic rose to a crescendo. She seemed to gain her strength back as the horror turned to electrifying fear. It didn’t matter that it hurt to struggle. That every movement seemed pointless as the binding of Belos’s magic cut into her presence._

_Luz had to break free. Amity needed to know the danger she was in._

_“As always you make a compelling case. Very well. You have one more chance at her Odalia. One last chance before the youngest witch to ever be petrified becomes the new decoration on the walk to the Conformatorium.“ Belos purred as he dismissed the witch in front of her with a wave of his staff._

_As the doors closed Luz was left once again with Belos. She was shaking._

_“You see human, you believed you were doing that girl a favor, pulling her out of the grasp of her mother. However, ask yourself this, is Amity in a better place now? She’s one misstep away from being erased into stone forever.”_

_Luz whimpered as the magic increased around her painfully._

_“Don’t worry though, Odalia is a proud woman. She will not let that happen. She will not let the embarrassment of her daughter break her. That woman will do anything to keep her status as a Blight.” Belos smirked as he stood. His hand began to reach for his face and Luz knew her time was coming to a close._

_“Best to let you say your goodbyes while you still can.”_

_From somewhere in the back of Luz’s mind she heard Amity calling out to her. As Belos’s hand connected to his face, the human felt herself being ripped free of the bindings holding her._

***

The group of concerned parents raced along the hill towards the castle. The light surrounding it seemed to illuminate the ground around them almost as if it was daytime. As they drew closer and the drawbridge came into view, two figures ran out from behind a couple of bushes to stop them.

Eda growled lowly as the light eventually revealed exactly who stood in their way. It was the Blight twins, Edric and Emira.

“Stop!!” Edric exclaimed, holding his hands out in front of him. 

Perry pushed to the front of the pack. “Out of the way, _Blight._ Our kids are in there!” He hissed in fury.

Emira stepped in front of her brother protectively.

“So is our little sister! But if you rush in there now you’ll be swarmed with guards before you’re even able to say a word.” 

Lilith groaned and took a step forward. Peeling herself off of Eda she hobbled towards the twins. 

"Wait. How do you know Amity is in there?” She questioned sternly, narrowing her eyes at the emerald haired sibling’s.

The twins looked guiltily at one another. 

"Mittens wasn't in school today… that’s how we knew something was up.” Emira started quietly.

"Yeah, and while we were waiting to chew her out at home before our parents got to her, our father got called back into work. We overheard the whole conversation. Amity's inside the castle and she's trying to steal the portal with Luz!" Edric explained in a rush, staring down at his feet.. 

"So... our Willow. She's in there too." Rowan spoke after a pause.

"With Agustus..." Perry added solemnly. 

"It gets worse. Belos already knows about them... the way mother was speaking to father... they've always been strict with Amity but we're really afraid something horrible is about to happen. Not only to Mittens but to her friends. They... they mentioned something about petrification."

Emira bit her lip and for the first time since she had known them, Lilith saw the unflappable Blight sibling’s melt with fear beyond their understanding. Fighting the urge to comfort them, Lilith turned to Eda.

The Owl Lady’s two different eyes glowed in the light of the castle, the anger and frustration burning behind them was clear. 

Underneath the raging emotions in her sister’s eyes Lilith swore she saw something else. Resignation. 

“Luz is a resourceful kid. With Gus’s intelligence and skill, Willow’s level head and Amity’s obsessive planning I know they went in there prepared for the worst.” Eda summarized, staring straight ahead at the illuminated castle. 

“We just have to have faith that they can get out of this.” 

Lilith glanced around at her peers. That wasn’t the response they had expected out of the most wanted criminal on the Isles. Even Lilith couldn’t help but feel disappointed that her sister didn’t seem to have a plan. Didn’t offer any sort of solution outside of merely… waiting.

Before anyone could air their concerns however, the earth shook with tremors as the light from the castle exploded.

In an instant, the Isles were cast into darkness and silence once more.

***

Luz woke up suddenly. The human’s face was damp with tears and she felt herself shivering as she laid on the cold ground in front of the portal. 

Amity was there with her. The witch stood over her protectively, one of her hands outstretched to the side and the other bracing herself against the frame of the portal. Her amber eyes were wide with panic and Luz saw that she had taken off her mask. As the human’s eyes focused, she immediately noticed just how exhausted the witch had become. Amity's body shuddered as the green-haired girl clenched her eyes shut tightly in pain. Luz’s gaze travelled down the witch’s outstretched arm and saw that Amity was maintaining the lightning spell she had cast earlier. The bolts of electricity that flowed out of her fingertips connected to the control panel across the room.

Amity was keeping the portal open. 

“Luz!” The witch cried out with concern as her eyes opened and saw that the human was stirring.

Luz's mind flashed with the haunting memory of Eda standing above her on the bridge.

“Amity! Your magic! What are you doing?! Luz cried out desperately, struggling to her feet. 

It was a difficult process, her body still painful from the magic that connected her to Belos. Amity’s free hand was there in an instant, helping Luz to her feet. The witch fixed her with a concerned glare.

“You need to go Luz! There’s no magic over there. He can’t keep hurting you. You’ll be safe.” Amity cried softly, her voice hoarse with emotion. 

“I can’t leave you! I can’t just leave…” Luz looked desperately around the empty room, her eyes scanning for any sign of her friends. “Gus and Willow!! Where are they?!”

“They left to go try and distract the guards! The whole castle knows we’re here. It’s one way in and out, remember? We can’t let it get blocked!”

“No!!” Luz cried out, desperately pushing her body forward. Amity swiftly moved in front of her.

“Gus and Willow can handle themselves Luz. You know this. I'll be there to help as soon as I can. _We’ll be fine._ But you won’t be. You can’t stay here any longer, if you do Belos will just keep torturing you. Please… just go already!!” Amity pleaded with her, her voice cracking with the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.

The witch shifted painfully as her eyes clenched tightly closed and the lightning flowing from her hand crackled and weakened. Luz thought back to what Belos had told her, what he had shown her. Her head thudded with a dull pain as panic raced up her back. 

Amity didn’t know what was waiting for her. The fear of it all brought a feverish panic to the human’s body and voice as she clenched her fists.

“I can’t leave you Amity! Belos... he knows. He knows about you, about the heist and everything! He was talking to your mom and made sure I was there to watch! He wants to petrify you for treason!!” Luz cried out as she watched Amity pale. The human couldn’t stop herself as all her worries spilled forth. “Your mom pleaded for another chance but she’ll… she'll…” 

Luz couldn’t finish the thought. The idea of what Odalia would do to her daughter haunted her mind like a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from. It froze her tongue as a knot crept up her throat.

Amity’s eyes finally tore off of the human in front of her and hit the floor. Her face became a blank unreadable slate.

“I can handle my mother.” The witch stated plainly. The roaring in Luz’s ears picked up in volume as amber eyes met her own. The human saw an unrecognizable emotion laying just behind the surface as Amity stared at her for what seemed like ages. 

“I couldn’t handle if something were to happen to you.” Amity admitted softly.

Luz blinked, her mind racing as she stared. Her heart twisted painfully as she watched Amity struggle with all her might to keep the electricity flowing. To keep the way open.

The human bit her lip. She knew she was losing the argument. The idea of leaving the isles had always haunted the back of her mind, but now the thought swarmed her as a reality.

Luz wanted to stay. She wanted to stay with Eda and King in the Owl House in which every new day was a new adventure in some sort of mischief. Wanted to stay with Willow and Gus, her first real friends. The two people she would do absolutely anything for, and who would do anything for her.

Luz looked at Amity. The human remembered the rush of feelings she had felt last night when she held Amity in her arms. There was no denying it, Luz had tried playing it cool but those feeling’s had been racing through her the entire night. Every time Amity came close to her she felt her heart rate pick up and felt a burning in her face. 

Luz wanted to stay with Amity.

She wanted to stay with her more then anything. 

Belos’s voice echoed in her ears: “ _Ask yourself this, is Amity in a better place now? She’s one misstep away from being erased into stone forever._ ”

Luz was out of her league here. Every step she took closer to Amity put the witch one step closer to danger. 

Luz thought of her mother.

For as long as she could remember, it had always been just Luz and Camilla. Throughout all of her childhood, her mother was always there for her. They looked out for each other. What would happen to her if Luz never came home?

Luz turned to look at the door. The eye in the center pulsed with the power now flowing through it. The scorch marks left on it from her battle reminded Luz of just how far she had come.

Luz turned back to Amity and stared into those fearful, amber eyes. 

“Go. Luz, _please_. Your mom is waiting for you. We’ll bring you back. I swear! Willow, Gus, Eda! We won’t just leave you over there!” The witch pleaded with her.

“Amity… I…”

The fear left Amity’s eyes in a moment, suddenly filled with a sadness that Luz hadn’t seen before. It wasn't just sadness though. There was another emotion mixed in with the sorrow.

Regret.

“Do you remember Grom?” Amity asked suddenly.

The change of topic sent Luz’s head spinning.

“Of course I do Amity… but what does that have to do with-“

“Just listen!” Amity snapped quickly, her voice lacking any real malice. 

“You asked me that night who I wanted to ask to be my date. It was you, Luz. I… I care about you. More then just as a friend.” Amity admitted gently. Her eyes couldn’t meet Luz’s own as the human stared, mouth hanging open.

Luz was speechless. However, Amity wasn’t done.

“And I don’t know what I would do if you got hurt. So please…” Amity’s free hand shot forward and pushed Luz roughly towards the portal. The witch's eyes shut tightly as her head hung and her eyes hit the floor.

“ _Just go already!!_ ” Amity shouted, as the electricity flowing from her hand picked up in strength. It crackled dangerously as the surge of strength rushed through it. The light from the portal became almost blinding.

Luz’s mind raced. The thundering in her head was louder then it had ever been and she suddenly felt like throwing up. The final wall that had been blocking her decision crumbled with Amity’s confession. Trying to ignore thinking entirely, Luz set her body in motion.

She reached quickly into her bag, shuffling through her materials, desperately searching for the one thing she needed.

Her hand hit ancient parchment and she grabbed at it desperately. Slamming the Bat Queen’s glyph against the structure surrounding the portal, Luz closed her eyes and concentrated. She knew that it had worked immediately, knew that the BatQueen would hear her in whatever she said next.

“My friends. Get them out safely. Please…” She whispered, before her eyes snapped over to stare at Amity.

“Fine Amity. You win. I’ll go home.” Luz stated plainly, her voice lacking any emotion.

Amity opened her mouth to speak, but was quickly shut off by Luz’s hand shooting out and grabbing the witch by the wrist.

“ _But you’re coming with me._ ”

The words echoed around the large empty chamber as the human grabbed the door handle and yanked it open. The room exploded in light as Luz dragged them both through the portal and into the human dimension.

Luz knew, deep down, that Amity was right. 

They would both be… _Safe at Home._

**_The End._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes. This is the end of Safe At Home.  
> No. This isn’t a troll chapter. This is really how this work ends. 
> 
> Please feel free to leave your rage in the comments below and once you’ve done that, 
> 
> **Give this a read:** [**Safe At Home - Author’s Note**](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27719438) (2007 words) by [**Polar534**](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polar534)  
>  Chapters: 1/1  
> Fandom: [gen - Fandom](https://archiveofourown.org/tags/gen%20-%20Fandom)  
> Rating: General Audiences  
> Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings  
> Additional Tags: Literally just an author’s note...  
>   
>   
> That will take you to the official Author’s Note of Safe At Home. If you want to know what comes next, I ask that you at least give it a chance. I promise I won’t waste your time. There will be answers to the questions you most definitely have. ANNND if you manage to stick around and read through the entire thing, there is a surprise waiting for you at the end. Just gotta trust me. ;3
> 
> And thank you.  
> Thank you for everything.  
> Writing this has been a journey, and your support has made it completely worthwhile.


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